A Revolutionary Love
by Victory-Starr
Summary: The year is 1775 and war has broken out within the colonies. With Tess as his supervisor, Andrew is given his first assignment as a caseworker and must help a family discover a valuable lesson, as he learns a few of his own along the way.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: I have debated this with quite a few friends of mine and they all seem to agree that though it is never stated in the show, Andrew was first promoted to case working long before the year 1775. I happen to agree with this as well._

_But I am a big history lover and had a few ideas for this particular story in this particular year. But it required Andrew being fairly new to case working. So I decided to make an exception this time. _

_Also thanks to a certain friend who without their help, the army sequences in this story would be very dull and I imagine extremely unbelievable. ;-)_

_Anyway, with that said I hope you enjoy the story and please review and let me know what you think as this goes along. Thanks!_

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_**A Revolutionary Love  
**_By: Victory-Starr

**Chapter One**

It was the morning of April 19, 1775 in an empty green field right outside the town of Concord, Massachusetts. An angel named Tess looked at another angel standing in front of her. This was only the very first day for him as a caseworker. He had previously been in Search and Rescue, and before that he had had many other jobs. But never before had he spent a great amount of time on Earth at one time.

She had to smile as she watched him observing his surroundings. His name was Andrew and his long blonde hair fell softly to his shoulders. He had gentle green eyes and a friendly smile. His brown breeches fit him neatly and while his shoes and stockings didn't look brand new, they were clean; The loose cream colored shirt he wore also looked nice on him, covered with a plain beige waistcoat; and to top it all off, he wore a simple white kerchief tied loosely around his neck. All in all, the supervising angel decided that her new protégé looked ready and suitably dressed for his first assignment.

"Andrew," She smiled, "Today is the day. It's time for your first case working assignment."

He looked a bit apprehensive. "Tess, are you sure? I mean, by 'assignment' you mean dealing with extensively with humans, right? Not just dropping in and saying a few words, and then leaving?"

"Not _dealing_ with them Andrew." She shook her head as she explained. "You're here to_help_ them. Live with them for a while and help them learn the truth that God wants them to see."

"But are you sure?" Andrew wrung his hands nervously. "I don't know that now is the right time. I am not sure I'm ready."

Tess patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Baby, the Father would not have given you this job if He did not think you were ready." He started to protest, but she interrupted him. "Yes, there are things you have to learn and there are mistakes you will make, but now is the time. You show great promise, Andrew. I'm sure the Father has big plans for you in the future."

Looking somewhat more at ease, Andrew sighed. "Okay, then. Where are we going?"

Tess smiled and took him by the arm. "You just follow me and you will see."

Andrew followed Tess through the field, but all the while he couldn't help but get more and more nervous about the impending assignment. At the present moment, he almost felt like going back Home to God. He loved it there in Heaven and felt comfortable. Being on the earth was so much different. He had spent very brief periods of time there before in Annunciations and Search and Rescue, but only very brief minutes at a time. Now he was expected to spend much greater amounts of time there. And what bothered him maybe even more than that was the fact of having to live among the humans while also in human form, all the while trying to teach and help them.

And that was another thing that was different. On earth, he used a human form. He looked just like any person he might come upon, and they would never know that he was an angel. And the human forms came with the whole package; which included aches, pains, tiredness, and hunger. Andrew's stomach then grumbled loudly and he blushed when Tess looked at him.

"Are you hungry, baby?" She asked him.

He shrugged, and then nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am maybe a little hungry."

"That doesn't sound like any 'little' hungry to me." She told him, looking him in the eye. "Listen, we'll be at our assignment in about another twenty minutes of walking. But you're going to have some work to do once we get there. I saw some apple trees a few minutes back. I am going to go back and get a few."

"Don't you want me to go?" Andrew asked, unsure of whether he was supposed to follow or not.

"No, no, baby." She shook her head. "You stay here under this tree and rest up. I'll be back in just a few minutes." She turned to go, and then looked back at him, somewhat sternly. "And I mean it. Stay right here and don't you go anywhere. I do not want to have to track you down, you understand me?"

Andrew nodded meekly, and sank slowly down into the grass. "Yes, ma'am."

"Good. I'll be back soon." And then she turned and began to walk back in the direction they had already come from.

Andrew watched Tess leave and idly began picking grass out of the ground, twisting it in between his fingers, and then dropping it. He wondered who his assignment was. Tess had said he would be working. So what would he be doing? His stomach grumbled again and he blushed, even though there was no one there to hear him.

Tess had only been out of sight for a few minutes when Andrew thought he heard someone coming. A moment later, a man ran past without noticing the angel's place at the foot of the tree.

Andrew listened and thought he could hear someone calling. "Andrew! Andrew Harrison!"

He slowly peaked around the tree and saw some men gathering together. They all looked hastily dressed and wore three-pointed hats. They appeared very agitated and waiting for someone. He wondered what the men wanted. Curiosity got the better of him, and Andrew began to rise from his spot on the soft green grass. He bit his lip as he looked around uneasily. Tess had directly instructed him to stay where he was at until she came back. And he knew that he was supposed to and most definitely should listen to her judgment, yet he wanted to know what was going on.

_If I hurry, _He told himself,_Then I can see what's happening and make it back before Tess even knows I'm gone._

He told himself that over and over, but it didn't help erase the guilty feeling he had in the pit of his stomach. But he pushed the feeling aside as he quickened his pace. He walked through the trees and was soon standing closer to the men.

"Where the devil are Andrew, William, and Peter?" said one of them to another.

"I don't know. I told the messengers that they were to meet us at rally point three as soon as possible. Blast these country volunteers! Much longer, and we will have to go on without them." Another man replied, obviously agitated.

Just then another man burst through the forest and skidded to a stop in the clearing.

"William Carter, reporting as ordered." He said breathlessly.

Andrew stood there in awe, gazing at the somehow strangely orderly chaos. There were about 15 men standing there, but what were they doing? They appeared to be getting ready to fight, was what the inexperienced angel gathered, but he wasn't entirely sure. Whatever it was, it fascinated him.

He was suddenly aware of somebody standing behind him. He turned, half afraid it would be Tess, but instead he found a tall middle-aged man with a musket in his hands. The man looked at Andrew, then after seeming to come to some sort of conclusion of who the young man before him might be, he spoke up.

"Are you Andrew Harrison?" He asked, although it was more of a statement than a question.

Andrew was baffled at first. "Um, I'm Andrew..." He stammered. Who was this man? And he didn't remember Tess ever telling him he had a last name.

The older man nodded with approval. "Good. I thought you must be him. I'm Peter Smith. Come now. I think they are waiting for us."

Without considering any other options, Andrew obeyed the man and began to follow him to where the other men were beginning to form some sort of group.

"Peter Smith and Andrew Harrison?" A man asked and Peter nodded. "Finally! All right then, come on! Double time!"

At this, the man started moving like he wanted to march, but he didn't really have the time. Andrew jog-marched with him through the trees and over a hill crest and was greeted with an amazing sight.

A large army of soldiers dressed in red was lined up down the road. A far smaller number of troops in blue were apparently in their way. Andrew was on the blue side. He didn't know what this meant, but he knew it couldn't be good.

"Captain Parker!" said the leader to a senior looking man who at least appeared to know what he was doing.

"Rally point three?" The older man guessed, then nodded with approval. "Good work, Sergeant. Snipers… William, Jack, and Andrew, come with me. The rest of you, follow the Sergeant."

Everyone set off at once. Most of the group followed the other officer, while Andrew tried to keep up with Captain Parker.

"Sniper?" Andrew asked the man.

"Sorry son, but we need you up there." The captain shrugged. "I heard you had an excellent shot. How about using it today?" The man looked about at his army before him. "The Lord knows we could use all the men we can get out here today."

Andrew said nothing in reply and just silently followed him. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He knew that he probably should have been back waiting for Tess at that moment, but this man and his army seemed to need all the help that they could get. Wasn't he kind of under some sort of angelic duty to try and help him?

The angel had to wonder though, why was it that the man seemed to know him? Andrew didn't know this man. But then it occurred to him. Maybe Captain Parker was his assignment. Maybe he was where he was supposed to be after all.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks everyone for your reviews. They mean a lot and are very encouraging! Jenni-OnThisSide, thanks for pointing out the need to switch those words. It has been fixed and I appreciate you noticing that!_

_Enjoy!_

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**Chapter Two**

After the Captain directed each man to his post, he led Andrew toward where a few other men stood and handed him a musket. "Here, take this." The man instructed. "And give us your best, son."

Hesitantly, Andrew took the gun from the man. He held it very carefully and looked at the captain questioningly. "Um, what exactly did you want me to do with this?"

The Captain just shook his head. "That would usually be funny, but this really is not the time for fun and games. Now just get up there at your post. If we get out of here alive, then we can joke later. Now go on, move!"

Andrew was still confused, but he did as the officer said. He didn't exactly even know where to stand, so he just found an empty spot among the other men, who all held guns as well. They knelt, cocked their muskets, and laid them beside them. Occasionally, one of them would pick it up and sight down its barrel at something across the way. Not wanting to stand out too obviously, Andrew imitated their actions.

Everything was relatively quiet for a while. The entire militia just seemed to stare ahead, and finally Andrew got a good look at what they were staring at. Across from them a ways, was the other army. This one had all of its men dressed in neat red uniforms and they all stood in perfect straight lines. Andrew couldn't help but notice how intimidating they looked with their far superior numbers and obvious discipline.

The angel gulped nervously as he looked down at the gun now in his hands. How long were they going to stand there, staring back at one another? What were they waiting on? Andrew knew well enough that they were planning on killing each other and he also knew that he was expected to do the very same by the Captain.

But he was an angel. He wasn't supposed to kill, and he knew that. It made him feel guilty even holding the musket in his arms and he let out a frustrated sigh. Why hadn't he just stayed where Tess told him? Then he most likely wouldn't even be in the mess he was in.

Angel and both armies continued to wait there, all stone still, for the next couple of minutes. No man on either side wanted to be the one to fire the first shot of the battle. They all just stood there; waiting to see what would happen and who would dare to go first.

Andrew was beginning to get tired of kneeling there and the guilty feeling in his stomach had long ago taken over the hunger that had been there originally. He was pretty sure that Tess was back waiting for him by now and he was almost even surer that when he saw her again, he would be in big trouble for deliberately wandering off. Yet, he couldn't just leave right then. Not when all the other soldiers were at a complete stand-still on both sides.

After having waited so still for so long, Andrew began to get a little restless and irritatingly noticed his right leg itching from his stockings. But he couldn't scratch it, as it would require moving too much amongst the obvious stillness.

Trying to take his mind of his itch, Andrew began to focus on something else. Even in human form, the angel had very good eyesight, so he trained the musket on different things, all the while subconsciously tracing the fingers of his right hand around the firearm. He spotted a tree limb, then a horse, then a flag of some kind.

Suddenly, the weapon in his hands roared as it issued its shot. Andrew jumped up in surprise. The musket ball actually hit a flag pole on the other side of the area. The pole snapped like a twig and swung downward. The startled Color Guard who held it looked up just in time to be knocked senseless by his own standard; the top of the pole, flag and all, struck him squarely in the face. Someone standing nearby turned around when he heard the shot just in time to see one of his men drop like a rock. Thinking that his comrade had been shot, he instantly pulled his musket into position… and then fired at the Patriot side.

The Color Guard groggily sat up just as shots started to ring out from both sides. Soon, the firefight erupted into a full scale battle.

Dazed, Andrew just stood there, unable to move. What had he done? Had he really just fired a gun? He hadn't meant to! Now both sides were shooting one another. But it really wasn't until the man standing beside him fell from a gunshot wound that Andrew realized the depth of what was happening. Stunned, he dropped the musket where he stood and took off running as fast as he could back towards where Tess had originally left him.

He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, all the while feeling bullets whiz past his long blonde hair. He was angel and he could not die, he knew that. But just the same, the sounds of bullets and shouts of battle made him run faster. He reached the grove of trees, but he didn't slow down. He still tried to hold out a slight sliver of hope that Tess would have not yet returned.

He ran into the tree grove and as he looked back behind him to make sure no one was following him, he could feel thorns and sticks tearing at his clothes and skin. He was nearing the end of the grove and could see the light on the other side, when his foot landed in a mud puddle and he slipped and fell hard, landing hard on his stomach.

It knocked the breath out of him, but he quickly spit the dirt out of his mouth and got up and continued to run back to where Tess was sure to be waiting. He ran out of the trees and began running up a grassy hill, gasping for breath. He knew that it was unlikely that anybody was following him, but just the same he turned around anyway just once more to look behind him. Just as he turned his head, he ran so hard into something that the impact threw him off balance and he landed hard on his backside with his legs and arms sprawled out.

With no idea of what he hit, Andrew was almost afraid to find out. Slowly he opened his eyes and looked up in front of him. There standing before him was a very angry looking Tess, her arms crossed in front of her. He winced because he knew that he was in for it.

"Tess..." He stammered slowly, not having any idea where to begin.

"What did you think you were doing?" Tess snapped, staring down at the sorry-looking angel on the ground at her feet.

"I was just going to see what was happening on the other side of those trees." Andrew tried to explain as he began to scramble to his feet.

"Sit down." Tess demanded firmly, pointing to the ground and Andrew let himself drop back down onto the ground immediately. "I told you to stay right here while I left for a few minutes. I specifically instructed you not to leave and you did anyway. Do you have a good explanation for that, Angel Boy?"

Andrew shook his head in shame. "No. I'm sorry, Tess. I know I should not have left."

"You're right you shouldn't have." She chastised him. "Do you realize what you have just done?"

Andrew shook his head silently.

"You just fired the opening shot of a Revolutionary War." Tess informed him firmly. "You should never have been holding that gun in your hands."

"The man asked if I was Andrew." Andrew pointed out. "I _am_. I thought maybe he was my assignment seeing how he knew my name."

"He was not asking for you specifically," Tess sighed exasperated. "He meant a different Andrew. A human. He just happened to come upon a completely naive angel who disobeys his supervisor instead."

"I really am very sorry, Tess." Andrew apologized softly, barely making eye contact with his unhappy supervisor. "I should not have wandered off in the first place; I really did think he was my assignment when he knew my name."

"He did not _know_ your name. He guessed." Tess reminded her trainee. "And as for your assignment, you are apparently not set on making a good first impression, are you?"

"Good first impression?" Andrew asked, obviously confused.

Tess sighed and rolled her brown eyes. "Stand up." She instructed him.

Andrew scrambled quickly to his feet and stood before his supervisor while she studied him briefly. She shook her head in dismay. "Look at yourself, Andrew. You're a mess, if I have ever seen one."

Andrew's looked down at himself and he knew she was right. His earlier soft blonde hair was now lying flat against his head, full of twigs, dried leaves, and the ends dripped with mud. The clean shirt he wore before now had dirt streaked across the sleeves. His breeches had an obvious wet streak up the side of one leg from when he slipped in the mud and one of his stockings had a small hole in them right below his knee.

Andrew sighed, for he knew his appearance was now less than appealing – no matter who his assignment may be. "Tess," He tried hopefully. "Can't God just clean me up really quick?"

"Andrew," She told him, her voice a little gentler than before. "If God cleaned up after every mess or mistake His children and angels made, then how would they ever learn? You have to accept the consequences of your actions, baby, even if that means showing up as an apprentice in a dirt streaked shirt. Now step over here."

Andrew obeyed and stepped up closer to Tess like she asked.

"Turn around. Slowly." She added.

Andrew did as she asked and as he slowly turned in place, she began to brush off what dirt she could from his dirty clothes. When she finished, he turned to face her once again, and she began to pull out twigs and leaves from his hair. She removed what she could and she could only hope that by the time they reached their destination that it would be dried and somewhat more presentable.

Next she pulled a handkerchief from her dress pocket and dabbed it against her tongue, damping the cloth. Using it, she began to wipe off his dirt streaked face.

When the cloth touched his face, Andrew wrinkled his nose and wrenched his face from her touch. "Aw, come on Tess!"

"You stop that right now, Angel Boy." She scolded him. She took his chin in her hand and held it firmly as she continued to wipe the grime from his angelic features. "You may have to show up on your first assignment dirty, but I will not have you showing up looking like a vagrant. Now stand still."

With a defeated sigh, Andrew did as she told him. Once Tess had removed the smeared dirt from his face, she stood back and nodded with halfway approval.

"That's about as good we're going to get." She decided. "Now you come along with me right now, Andrew. We're going to be late for your assignment."

Andrew followed Tess as they continued their trip. "Tess?" He asked after a few minutes of silence. "What is my assignment? What am I supposed to do?"

"Your main assignment is yet to be determined, baby." Tess told him and he was relieved to hear patience returning to her tone. "You are going to be working as a shopkeeper's apprentice for Mr. John Chandler in his general store."

"But Tess, I don't know anything about shop keeping." Andrew reasoned. "What am I supposed to do?"

"That is why you are an apprentice, Andrew." She told him. "You will be _learning_ the trade. And all the while, you need to teach Mr. Chandler's family a thing or two as well."

"Me?" Andrew asked, surprised. "But I don't even know what the problem is. How can I help?"

"You observe." Tess informed him. "You just watch at first. When the time is right, you'll know what your job is and you'll know what to say. You're an angel, baby. A heavenly being. Not a bumbling half-wit without any direction. Ask God, and He will show you what to do." She stopped and laid her hands on his shoulders, looking into his unsure green eyes. "You are going to make mistakes, but God is not going to leave or condemn you for them. He loves you and wants the very best for all of His children. That includes you too, baby. The Father has special plans for you. Trust Him. You know He won't let you down."

Andrew nodded, nearly unable to say anything. "Are you still angry with me, Tess?" He asked quietly, still feeling great remorse for his earlier actions.

"No," Tess shook her head. "I'm not. I think you have learned your lesson. You know, I love you too, baby. That is why when I told you to stay put, I meant it. I didn't want you to get mixed up in anything you shouldn't... like a battle of war."

Andrew blushed, though was relieved to hear the gentleness return to Tess' voice and face.

"Now you won't be alone." Tess continued. "I have already been working in the Chandler home for the last few weeks as a housekeeper. They are expecting me to bring you to the store this morning, so we need to get going. They have some room in the barn, where you are going to be allowed to sleep, free of charge and they will also feed you. If you need me, I will be at the house. But I do think that you will be just fine."

With those words, she reached over and pulled Andrew into her embrace. He rested his head onto her shoulder and hugged her back, grateful for the other angel's love and direction, even if it was tough at times. But he was suddenly startled by a thought. He pulled away quickly and looked at Tess, worry evident on his face.

"Tess, you are not leaving me now, are you?" He asked, afraid to be on his own so suddenly without even knowing what he was doing.

The older angel shook her head and wore a small smile on her face. "No, baby. But I will be very soon. We're going to reach the shop in only about five minutes. Once I get you to Mr. Chandler, then I am going to be returning to their home. You'll have to stay at the shop for the rest of the day. When you close up for the day, then you both will return to the Chandler's home and I'll see you then. Now don't worry. Everything will be fine. Just do as you're told and use wise judgment. And one more thing." She added. "Do not tell anybody that you're an angel. Do you understand?"

The blonde angel nodded in understanding, though he was obviously not too keen on the idea of Tess leaving him alone with his assignment.

"Now come on." Tess announced, as they began walking once again. "They're expecting you."


	3. Chapter 3

_Thanks to everyone who has commented. Please enjoy and review!_

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**Chapter Three**

They walked on for only a few minutes more before Andrew saw a small town ahead in the distance. He looked at Tess quizzically and she nodded. This was it. They were almost there. Andrew felt the nervous feeling inside of him grow as they got closer to the point where Tess would leave him for the day.

Andrew wasn't aware of this, but Tess had been observing him the last few minutes of the trip and she was well aware of how he felt about his first assignment. She knew he was worried, and maybe even a little bit nervous – though he might never have admitted the latter.

She also knew that somehow, despite the mistakes and mischief he was bound to get into, that he showed a lot of promise. She didn't know exactly what it might be, but she had a feeling that the Father had some great things in store for Andrew to do one day.

She didn't really want to have to leave him alone the whole day. He was unsure and very unconfident, but she knew in her heart that if the angel was going to learn to be a caseworker that he would have to learn to work without his supervisor there every minute.

And to be honest with herself, she had to admit that she was also a little unconfident herself, after his antics earlier that morning. All she had to do was look at him to remind her of that. By this point his hair had pretty much dried out and while it didn't appear as clean as it had earlier, it showed hardly any signs of mud. His shirt still held some stubborn smudges on it and his stockings were still dirty. But his face was clean and his breeches showed no signs of the puddle he had slipped in earlier. Tess was sure that he would remember that day for a very long time, but she decided that was a good thing. Maybe it would remind him to do as he was told in the future.

After they reached the small town of Lattinburg, it took them only a mere minute or two to find the shop where Andrew would be apprenticing at. Andrew knew they had reached the place when he saw the wooden sign hanging above the door that read "Chandler's Mercantile" and beneath it "John Chandler: Proprietor – Est. 1762".

Realizing the impending parting between the two, Andrew turned to Tess panic-stricken. "Tess, please don't go. Isn't there any way that you could stay here?" He pleaded. "I'm not ready to do this myself."

"Angel Boy, you have to be ready whether you want to or not." Tess told him sternly, yet at the same time gently. "I love you dearly, but if I have to stand by you, holding your hand through everything you do, then how will you ever learn?"

"Tess, I'm sure God has plenty of better equipped angels to handle this case," Andrew protested. "I'll probably just mess things up. Why can't I go back to Annunciations? Or maybe Search and Rescue. I was good at both of those."

Tess shook her head. "Andrew, the Father has you right here: where He wants you. Haven't you always trusted Him before?"

Andrew nodded. He had and he still did. But that didn't defeat the growing nervousness in his stomach.

Tess took both of Andrew's hands into her own and gave them a loving squeeze. "It's time to go inside now, baby. Now you just trust the Father, relax, and develop a relationship with your assignment, alright? You'll see me when you get to the Chandler home. Now come with me."

With a sigh, Andrew followed Tess up the front steps of the store and into the building. When he walked in, he could smell a variety of different scents all rolled into one; peppermint candies, spices, the brand new smell from the bolts of cloth in one corner, coffee beans, chocolate, pine soap, and apples. He breathed in deeply. He really liked the smell and even though he was still nervous, it was somewhat comforting.

The inside of the store was not greatly huge, but it was comfortable. The wooden floors had been swept clean and some of the boards creaked underneath his feet as Andrew followed Tess across them.

Everywhere Andrew looked, he saw something useful or pleasing. There were aprons, nightcaps, combs, spices, sponges, rakes, fishing hooks, tin whistles, and books. The shelves in the store were crowded with bolts of cloth, bowls, bottles, kettles, and coffee pots. And along the floor up near the walls; fat-bellied sacks of salt, rice, and flour leaned against barrels of nails.

Over in a corner of cloth, ribbons, and spools of thread, Andrew could see a group of three women examining them closely, all the while gossiping rapidly among themselves. A little boy in another corner was staring at a small wooden toy, and Andrew knew that the child was dying to get a hold of it to play with. The little boy caught Andrew's eye and smiled at him. Andrew smiled back, and then followed Tess though a door into the back of the store.

In the back, things were not as organized or as interesting as they were in the main part of the store, but they were still orderly nonetheless. There were shelves lined up with stock and in one corner of the room was a desk, furnished with paper, a quill pen, and ink. At the desk sat a man, who appeared to be in his mid-forties and when the man noticed the angels in the room, he stood up and walked towards them, a smile on his face.

The man was of average build and stood a few inches taller than Andrew. He was also just a little bigger around. But he was dressed much like the angel himself, though a bit nicer; breeches, a loose fitting shirt covered by an embroidered waistcoat. The shopkeeper also wore some sort of kerchief around his neck; only his was fancier than Andrew's and was called a cravat. His black hair was beginning to show signs of gray and age, but his blue eyes twinkled as he looked upon them in a friendly manner.

"Tess," The man addressed the angel in disguise."You have returned. My, you are quick."

Tess just smiled at him in return as he continued. "And is this the lad I sent you to fetch?" He looked at Andrew curiously.

Tess nodded. "Yes sir, Mr. Chandler. This is Andrew."

"Andrew, I am pleased to meet you." The man held out his hand. "My name is John Chandler. You are here to learn to be a shopkeeper, are you not?"

Andrew glanced at Tess, who nodded affirmatively. Andrew then took John Chandler's hand and shook it in greeting. "Yes sir, that is correct. Thank you for having me."

John shook his head. "It is no such trouble. The Lord knows that I could use some help around this place." He then turned to Tess. "Thank you, Tess, for bringing Andrew to me. You may return home now. I am sure that Mary is waiting for you. Oh, and would you please tell her that Andrew and I will both be home on time for supper?"

Tess nodded kindly. "Yes sir, Mr. Chandler. I will do that." With those words she turned to leave and as Andrew watched her disappear from sight through the door he felt slight panic rise up once more inside of him. He was still very unsure of being left alone on such a long assignment and he really wished that Tess was there to help him if he needed it. But suddenly he was reminded of what his supervisor had said earlier about trusting God, and he nearly felt ashamed for worrying so much.

_Father, _He prayed silently. _Please help me today. You know that I have never done this before and how badly I wish Tess could be here. Please give me wisdom and understanding because I cannot do this alone._

Andrew felt a little better after that and looked the shopkeeper in the eye when the man spoke to him.

"I would like to get started in a moment," John started once Tess had gone. "But before we do, I have a question for you; I heard that a battle between the militia and the Redcoats occurred in Lexington early this morning. Do you know whether this is true?"

Andrew nodded. "Yes sir, it is. A battle was happening early this morning, at daybreak. But I cannot tell you much more than that." The angel was not about to allude to the fact that he had been heavily involved in the matter.

John's face softened and his eyes grew serious for a moment. "I do hope our men fought well. I would go myself and join them if it were not for my family. It would be a shame to leave them on their own, yet I cannot help but wish that there was something more I could do." He then smiled once more. "I am a Patriot, in case you have not guessed by now."

"A... a Patriot?" Andrew asked, unsure of what the man meant specifically.

"Yes." John nodded, and then looked at Andrew curiously. "Please do not tell me that you are a Loyalist, lad. We may not get along as well as I thought if that is the case."

Andrew wrinkled his eyebrows, unsure of what answer the man wanted. "Well," He finally said. "I am loyal to God..."

Upon his new apprentice's reply, the shopkeeper burst out laughing. "That is wonderful, lad. You do have quite a sense of humor." He patted the angel on the shoulder kindly. "I think that you and I are going to get along splendidly. Now come along. Let me show you some things."

Andrew was still a little taken aback by the man's sudden laughter in what the novice caseworker thought had been a serious answer. But just the same, he followed John back up front behind the counter. No one was in the store at the time, so the shopkeeper was taking the opportune moment to show Andrew the ropes.

"Here is our ledger." John pointed to a large open book on the counter which sat next to a quill pen and a bottle of ink. "When you make a sale, be sure to write down the sum. This is very important. I'm sure you can do your arithmetic?"

Andrew nodded, confirming the man's thought.

"Splendid." John nodded approvingly. "You look like a smart young man. Now over here is where we keep the flour and sugar and such items." He turned to a shelf on the wall behind them. "People will come in asking for a pound of this or that. Just be sure to measure things out carefully, please. The last young man that assisted me was fairly careless with the matter. I sometimes think he sold more to the floor than to the customer."

"I will be very careful, Mr. Chandler. I promise." Andrew told him surely.

The next hour went on nearly the same. It was still early in the morning yet and no one had started to filter into the store. In the meantime, John showed Andrew many things about the store. How to cut and measure yards of fabric and ribbon, where the broom was located, and where the money and credit slips were kept at.

As John did this, he observed his new apprentice with great interest. While the young man seemed shy, the shopkeeper found him to appear very trustworthy. And he liked that. He also liked the fact that while Andrew seemed cautious about what he did, he learned fast. All in all, John was glad to have Andrew around. He began to suspect that the new apprentice would also be enjoyable company to have around every day in the store.

"I usually close the store and head home in the late afternoon." John told Andrew as they leaned up against the counter after the hour long instructions. "And also; I would like to extend to you an invitation to stay with my family and I, instead of the boarding house in town. I'm afraid with five children at home, I cannot offer you a bedroom in the house, but I do have an empty hay loft in my barn complete with a tick, cot, and some small pieces of various furniture."

Andrew nodded his head and smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Chandler. I would be very happy to stay with you and sleeping in the barn is fine with me. I wouldn't turn down a free roof over my head."

The shopkeeper smiled with pleasure. "Wonderful. But I would like to request that you dine inside my home at meal times. It would please me greatly." John persuaded earnestly. "And once my wife gets to know you, I'm sure she will agree with me."

"Then I will do it." Andrew agreed and man and angel shook hands on the deal.

Just then, the door to the store swung opened and a young lady walked in. Guessing by her appearance Andrew guessed her to be about sixteen or seventeen years of age. She wore a long floral-printed dress that reached her toes and her chestnut colored hair was pulled back loosely behind her head with a ribbon, allowing the many ringlets to bounce as she walked. She was of average height for a girl her age and while she wore a smile on her face, Andrew noticed that her blue eyes were void of almost any emotion.

"Father," The girl addressed John, after a quick glance at Andrew. "Mother sent me after some sugar. We have run out at home and she and Tess are baking a cake for this evening's desert."

"That sounds lovely, my dear. I will get that for you in just a moment." John smiled down at the girl. He then turned to Andrew. "Andrew, may I present to you my daughter, Elizabeth Chandler. Lizzie, this is Andrew. He is my new apprentice you have heard me speaking of coming. He just arrived about an hour or so ago."

Elizabeth dropped a small curtsy and gave the angel a friendly smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She said kindly.

Andrew bowed his head. "And it is you as well, Miss." He told her, all the while becoming more at ease with the humans he was to interact with as a caseworker.

"Elizabeth has just recently turned seventeen years old," John informed Andrew, as he began to weigh the sugar his daughter had requested. "She is our eldest daughter and her mother and I are very proud of her."

Elizabeth blushed and Andrew smiled at her kindly. "She is a bright young lady then? She appears to be so; pretty as well, if I might add."

"Aye," John nodded as he handed his daughter the package of sugar. "She is both of those things. Wise and pretty. As a matter of fact, I doubt that I would be incorrect in assuming that there are wedding bells in Lizzie's near future. Am I not correct, my dear?" John asked his daughter, a teasing smile on his face.

At that last remark, the young lady's face turned a deeper crimson than before and Andrew thought that he caught a quick look of uncertainty on her face before it quickly disappeared.

"I really should be going now." Elizabeth changed the subject, somewhat uneasily. "Mother is expecting me back home shortly and Miriam has a stocking that needs to be darned."

"Very well," John patted his daughter's shoulder. "Run along then and we will see you this evening. Tell your mother hello for me."

"I will, Father." Elizabeth agreed. Quickly she stood onto the tips of her toes and planted a quick kiss on her father's cheek. She then turned to Andrew and gave another quick curtsy. "Again, it was very nice to meet you, Andrew."

"And you as well, Elizabeth." Andrew replied politely.

"Good day!" The hurried young lady called, as she left the store.

John and Andrew waved good bye and once she was gone, John turned to Andrew. "Elizabeth has been seeing a very nice young man these two past years. His name is Micah Hambling, but I have a feeling it won't be long before you meet him. The two are quite smitten with one another, I believe." John's eyes twinkled as he spoke.

"So..." Andrew began curiously. "How many children did you say you had?"

"My wife, Mary, and I have five children, Andrew." John stated proudly. "And we love each one of them. As you know now, Elizabeth is our eldest at seventeen; then there is Sarah, who is thirteen; James is ten; Benjamin is seven; and our little Miriam is four years old. She is quite the mischievous one, too – has questions for everything. She will talk your ear off if you let her."

Andrew smiled softly. "It sounds like you love your family very much."

"I do." John smiled. "I do."

At that moment, the store door swung open again and a man and woman walked in together. Seeing the opportunity, John began to help Andrew in assisting the couple. And the rest of the day went by like that, for the most part. As different people came into the store with different requests, Andrew learned to be a shopkeeper and John assisted the apprentice whenever it was needed.


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks for for your comments everyone!_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Finally, later that afternoon, no one was in the store and John announced closing time. He handed Andrew a key and the angel went to the front door and locked it securely.

"Is that it?" Andrew asked as he handed back the key, eager to return to Tess and discuss his assignment.

John shook his head. "Not quite, I'm afraid. There are still a few things we must do before going home each evening." He handed Andrew a broom. "Sweep the floor and then join me in the back, if you would."

Andrew nodded and began to sweep the wooden planks as the shopkeeper disappeared into the back of the store. Once he was alone, he breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a long day, yet he had to admit that it had not gone nearly as terrible as he had originally imagined. He credited the Father for that completely. He knew that God had given him the guidance he had needed during the day, but just the same, he was eager to be back in the secure company of Tess once again.

Besides the fact that he felt more confident with his supervisor around, Andrew also had many questions he wanted to ask her – questions about his assignment. Who was his assignment exactly? Andrew had originally thought that it must be John, but he had noticed throughout the day how really content and happy the man seemed. Then after he met the shopkeeper's daughter, Elizabeth, he suspected it may be her whom he was supposed to help. But if that was the case, then why was he supposed to spend so much time in the store with her father?

Andrew had finished sweeping minutes ago, but he did not realize that he been standing in the middle of the room so idly until John stuck his head into the room. "Come on now, lad, make haste." He beckoned the distracted angel. "Join me at the desk, so we can start for home."

Quickly, Andrew put the broom back in the corner where it belonged and followed the shopkeeper into the back and to the desk. There John instructed his apprentice to pull up a chair beside his own at the desk. Once he had done so, John began to show Andrew how to sum up the coins and credits of the day and how to make sure they aligned correctly with the ledger.

"It is very important that this is done." John stressed as the apprentice counted out the shillings. "And it is just as important that we come up with the same total in both our chest and ledger. If either one is incorrect, then we may have a large problem on our hands."

Andrew and John finished adding the figures together and when they come up even, Andrew breathed another sigh of relief. He had been worried that one would come across wrong and that they would have to stay at the store for an even longer amount of time.

John announced that the two could leave and after the ledger and money chest had been put away, they left the building for the day. As they walked the streets of Lattinburg, John pointed out different sights of the town.

Andrew tried to pay attention but he found his mind wandering every so often. He was not quite sure why, but he found it fascinating that he could walk among the humans and they would never know that he was an angel. He had, in fact, spent the entire day with John Chandler; yet as far as the angel knew, the shopkeeper suspected nothing. Tess had obviously spent a great deal of time already with the Chandler family and they had no idea that she was an angel.

After about a fifteen minute walk, they reached a house surrounded by a beautifully gardened yard. On one side of the house Andrew could see a barn, where he was pretty sure he would be staying. And on the other side he noticed a clothes line, and at it were two figures in dresses taking down some quilts. The angel could also hear the happy screeches and laughter of children. Looking around he finally spotted three coming around from behind the house. When they got closer he could see that there were two boys and a little girl.

When the three children saw their father coming up the road, they took off running towards him, laughing and shouting all the way.

The tallest of the three, a boy, reached them first. "Father!" He exclaimed happily. "You're home!"

John chuckled and patted his son on the shoulder as the two other children reached them. The three of them talked rapidly, bright smiles on their faces, each having something they wanted to share with their father.

Andrew watched with an amused expression on his face. He loved children and he guessed that the Chandler children would be no different.

"Andrew," John addressed the angel, as he scooped up the smallest child, a girl, into his arms. "These are my three youngest children. James, Benjamin, and Miriam."

The little girl, Miriam, stared at Andrew with interest. "Who are you?" She asked her blue eyes full of question.

"Children, this is Andrew." John announced, gesturing towards the angel. "He is my new apprentice at the store."

"Are you going to eat supper with us?" Ten year old James asked, looking at the stranger carefully.

"Your father has asked me too." Andrew replied kindly, smiling down at the boys in front of him.

"Andrew is going to be eating with us every day." John informed his sons, as they started for the house once again. "As long as he is working at the store, he will be staying in the hay loft. So you will be seeing him quite often."

Benjamin, the seven-year-old, just grinned up at Andrew and the angel had to chuckle when he saw the boy was missing his two top teeth.

"I see you're missing some teeth there." Andrew pointed out friendlily.

"The boy has been losing them left and right as of lately." John ruffled his son's brown hair. "Haven't you, son?"

"They were my baby teeth." Benjamin informed Andrew innocently. "Elizabeth says that new ones will grow in soon."

"Then I would say that must mean that you are growing up." Andrew told the boy, keeping his face solemn.

"You think so?" Benjamin asked hopefully.

Andrew nodded. "You must be, if you are getting in adult teeth."

A delighted expression came over the child's face and he rushed away into the house, calling excitedly to his sisters.

A competitive look gleamed in James' eyes as he watched his brother prance off. He then looked at Andrew informatively. "I lost a lot of my baby teeth already. And I have grown three inches this year."

"My, then you must be practically grown." Andrew pretended to look surprised. The boy took this as a compliment and he too began to eagerly run towards the house.

"You have a way with children, young man." A voice said behind John and Andrew.

They turned their heads and Andrew found a woman standing behind him, holding a folded quilt in her arms. Her long brown hair was tied back beautifully and while her dress was not extremely fancy, it flattered her figure.

"Thank you, ma'am." Andrew smiled shyly. "I do like children."

John then cleared his throat as he sat Miriam on the ground to chase after her brothers. "Andrew, let me introduce to you my wife, Mary Chandler." The shopkeeper introduced the two.

Andrew nodded his head graciously towards the woman. "I am pleased to meet you, Mrs. Chandler."

"Mary," John continued. "This is my new apprentice; Andrew. He just arrived today and will be staying in our loft while he works with me."

Mary smiled kindly at the angel. "It will be a pleasure to have you, Andrew, I'm sure. Tess told me that my husband asked her to fetch you this morning. I hope you have enjoyed your day and that John has not worked you too hard on your first day."

"No ma'am, your husband is a very kind man. I have learned a lot all ready." Andrew smiled at her.

Mary was looking the young man in front of her over a bit, when she noticed the small hole in one of his stockings.

"Andrew, did you catch your stockings on a nail?" She asked him curiously, and then glanced at her husband meaningfully. "I have warned John about those nails sticking out for years."

Andrew blushed as he remembered the scolding he had gotten from Tess earlier that day. "Um, no ma'am. It was not a nail that got me. I'm afraid I ran into a little trouble on my way into town this morning."

Mary nodded understandably. "Very well then. If you would like, we can darn that for you this evening. Just give it to me after supper." The woman's eyes were full of kindness.

"Thank you, Mrs. Chandler." Andrew nodded. "I will do that. That's very kind of you."

"'Tis no trouble." She said simply, as they reached the house.

"My wife is a wonderful woman." John whispered into Andrew's ears as they entered the house. Andrew just smiled as he observed the inside of the home.

They entered into the foyer, which was very spacious. To the left, he could see a staircase leading to the second floor and to the right of him; Andrew saw a kitchen and dining room. And inside the kitchen he saw a sight that sent a wave of relief rushing over him. Tess was in the kitchen, stirring a pot of soup with a large wooden spoon. She turned to face the new arrivals and Andrew was tempted to just hurry and talk to her her, but he held back. The Chandler family was not aware of how well the two of them actually knew each other, and Andrew was sure he would get some alone time with his supervisor later that night. So instead he just smiled at her. She gave him an encouraging smile back, then turned back to her pot over the fire.

At that moment, a young girl whom Andrew had never seen before walked into the house and into the dining room where most everyone else stood. Curly light brown hair spilled out from beneath her mob cap, her cheeks were flushed pink, and her green eyes sparkled as she spoke.

"Mother," She addressed Mary excitedly. "I was coming in from the barn and I saw Micah Hambling coming down the road. Is he coming for supper tonight?"

Mary looked confused for a moment, and then shook her head. "Not that I know of, dear. Run and fetch Elizabeth please and let her know."

"Yes, Mother." The girl replied, and then quickly left to find her sister.

"That was our daughter, Sarah," John smiled as the child dashed off as quickly as her full skirts would allow her to. "She is thirteen."

Mary frowned slightly. "I'm afraid she is not nearly as ladylike as she should be at her age. I have yet to get her to finish the gown she is sewing."

"Patience is not her strongest quality, I take it." Andrew guessed, cocking his head to one side.

John shook his head. "I'm afraid not."

Just then, Elizabeth came walking down the staircase. She appeared about the same as she had earlier that day when Andrew saw her, only this time he thought he could see some apprehension in her eyes.

"Elizabeth," Mary asked her eldest daughter. "Did you ask Micah to supper?"

The girl shook her head surely. "No mother. I only saw him briefly this morning. We spoke nothing of supper."

"Well the lad is coming down the path as we speak, Lizzie." John informed his daughter. "I am not sure what he is pursuing, but why don't you ask him in anyway?"

"Yes, Father." Elizabeth nodded, and then left the house. Andrew glanced out the curtain covered windows to see a young man who appeared to be about nineteen or twenty approaching the house. He carried a bouquet of flowers in his hands and his face lit up when Elizabeth walked towards him.

"Is that Micah there?" Andrew questioned, turning to face Mary and John once again.

Mary nodded, a pleased smile written clearly on her face. "Yes, he is. He's a fine boy, that lad. I'm sure he will make an excellent husband for our Lizzie."

"So it has been established then?" Andrew asked, trying to keep the surprise out of his voice. "They will be married soon?"

"Well, it has not been stated officially." John shrugged his broad shoulders. "But I would dare to say that it won't be long coming now."

"They are both very young, aren't they?" Andrew pointed out.

Mary sighed. "They are, Andrew, but I do not think that they're too young. I married when I was eighteen and I am very content." She smiled happily and the angel could see that what the woman had said was true. She appeared to be very happy and so did her husband.

A moment later, Elizabeth returned to the room, a bouquet of flowers clutched in one hand. "Micah cannot make it to supper tonight." She informed her parents. "He just came by to give me these."

"Oh, how lovely!" Mary exclaimed. "They are just beautiful, dear. Why don't you get a vase from the cabinet and take those flowers up to your bedroom? Then please inform the other children that it is time to wash up for supper."

"Yes, Mother." Elizabeth obeyed. After taking a glass vase from a cabinet, she turned and headed up the stairs.

Mary turned to John and Andrew once her daughter was gone. "Supper will be served in about half an hour, if you two would like to wash up." She told them. "Please excuse me though. I must go find the children."

John nodded. "Aye, let me just show our guest here to the loft and I will be right with you, my dear." He told his wife.

As the shopkeeper and angel turned to leave the house, Mary called after them. "Andrew, when you dress for supper, if you will please drop that stocking of yours that needs mending into this basket." She indicated a mending basket sitting just inside the door. "Then I will have it mended for you."

Andrew nodded. "Thank you, ma'am. I will be sure to do that."

Andrew then turned to follow John out the door, when he felt a hand on his arm. He turned to find Tess standing behind him. "When you reach the loft," She whispered into his ear. "You will find a sack with an extra set of clothes setting on a chair. They are for you."

Andrew nodded, but before he could get a chance to say anything, the supervising angel went back to her pot. Andrew then hurried out the door to catch up with John.


	5. Chapter 5

_Here's the next chapter. Enjoy._

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Approaching the barn, John pushed open the large door and ushered Andrew inside. The angel instantly recognized the scent of horses, cows, chickens, hay, and feed. Looking about the building, he saw two horses, one cow, and many chickens. Then he noticed the ladder that went up to the loft.

"The loft?" He asked, tilting his head towards the ladder.

John nodded affirmatively. "That's it, but I am sorry I cannot offer you anything more suitable."

"This is fine." Andrew assured the man. "It is far better than having to pay room and board every week. Thank you."

"You are more than welcome." John smiled. "Do you wish for me to continue with you?"

Andrew shook his head. "Thank you, sir, but I will be able to take it from here I believe."

John nodded. "All right then. I will see you at supper then in about half an hour. If you need anything, just let me know." And with those words the shopkeeper turned and left Andrew standing alone in the barn.

Once the man was gone, Andrew breathed another sigh of relief. He was finding it easier and easier to interact with the humans, but he was still very glad to be left alone for a while. Turning to the ladder, the angel started up for the loft, to see what his living quarters looked like.

When he reached the top he found that the hay had all been moved to one side of the loft, and this side; the one for Andrew to sleep at, had been swept clean. In one corner of the small quarters stood a cot with a tick mattress and quilt on top of it. Beside that was a small nightstand with a wash basin and pitcher on top of it. At the foot of the bed, stood a single wooden chair and atop it sat a small sack.

Andrew guessed that this sack was the one that Tess had mentioned and went over to investigate. Sure enough, inside he found two other pairs of breeches, one of which was nicer than the others; another clean shirt, which was also nicer than the one he was currently wearing; a green cotton waistcoat; a pair of white silk stockings; and a comb.

Pleased with the discovery, Andrew smiled and sent quick thanks up to the Father, before he began to peel off his shoes and dirty stockings. He then removed his dirty clothing and replaced them with the clean ones from the bag. After he slipped into the new waistcoat he pulled his black shoes back on over his feet and then quickly ran the comb through his shoulder length blonde hair. Then at last, after a quick scrubbing of the face, the angel felt much better. Better, in fact, than he had all day.

* * *

Not long after this, it was time to eat supper and Andrew found himself seated at a large table covered with many delightful things to eat. Once everyone was seated around the table, John said the blessing and then everyone began eating.

Having been working in human form all day long, Andrew discovered that he was very hungry. He did not say much during supper, but instead just listened to the conversation around him. He had never actually been in human for more than a few minutes at a time before this day, so he had never had a chance to eat much like he did now. He found the meal delicious, but remembering an earlier warning from Tess, he went easy on it.

One thing that the angel did notice was that the Chandler family seemed very happy. They smiled and enjoyed their time together, just like any family should. Even the eldest, Elizabeth, seemed to have forgotten about any troubles that might have been bothering her before.

Eventually, after supper had been eaten and the desert had been appreciated by all present, the family moved to the parlor to socialize. There Mary, Elizabeth, and Sarah sat down with either a sampler or piece of sewing while the boys sat down on the floor next to the fireplace. John relaxed in a chair with little Miriam on his lap and Andrew sat across from him.

"I still wonder what transpired this morning over in Lexington," John sighed, shaking his head slowly.

"What happened, Father?" James asked his father curiously. Andrew could tell by the look on the child's face that the boy was intrigued.

"I have not heard much, except that a battle broke out there early this morning." John stated. "Nobody in our town seems to know much about it yet; or at least who I have discussed it with today."

"Does Mr. Knoll not know, John?" Mary asked her husband softly. She knew that her husband's thoughts and opinions were strongly against the king's taxes. She knew that he yearned to fight for the freedom of the colonies, and she also appreciated that he chose not to join the Militia and instead stayed at home with the family.

John shook his head yet again. "I did not see him today. Perhaps I will inquire about it tomorrow if I do not hear anything more." The shopkeeper turned to Andrew. "Charles Knoll runs a tavern in town and seems to know much about the current happenings. I only go to the tavern for a drink every so often, but he does come into my store quite a bit for this or that. He can tell you a lot about the latest outside of Lattinburg. I am sure you will meet him sooner or later."

"You have strong opinions about this battle, sir, don't you?" Andrew asked inquisitively. Every minute that day that he had been growing better used to interacting with the humans, he had also grown more and more frustrated for his lack of knowledge over this assignment. The family didn't appear to need an angel at all.

"I do." John answered solemnly. He then looked at Andrew curiously. "I just remembered something; am I wrong, or did you go near Lexington on your way here?" Without waiting for a response from the angel, John turned to Tess who was clearing off the supper table a few feet away. "Tess, did you not go near Lexington?"

Tess glanced quickly at Andrew and saw that his face had begun to turn a deep shade of red, but no one else seemed to notice. "Yes sir. We did pass by quite close to Lexington actually."

The shopkeeper than turned back to his apprentice, who was still feeling the embarrassment from his earlier mistake. "You passed through Lexington, yet have no news of the battle?" John asked the surprise clearly evident in his voice.

Andrew cleared his throat uncomfortably. He glanced at Tess desperately, but she offered him no help whatsoever. "I... well, do not know much about battles, sir." He finally said. He knew that he could not lie to the man, but he also knew that he couldn't tell him how involved he had actually been in the ordeal. "I believe that I was nearly out of the area before most anything had happened. I was gone before the battle was complete. I have nothing to tell of its outcome or of either side's performance. I do apologize though." Andrew added, hoping the subject of conversation would soon change. Needless to say, the topic of battle now made him feel very awkward.

"That is quite alright, lad." John chuckled. "You are not at fault for anything. I was curious is all. I am sure that I can get any information available from Charles tomorrow. So tell me, where have you come from?"

When the new question arose, Andrew once again looked to Tess for support, but she appeared disinterested once more as she moved about the dining room table. The new caseworker was beginning to feel slightly annoyed and even a little hurt by her lack of assistance. So with a sigh, he turned back to the family. "I... have come from a lot of places." The angel spoke vaguely, trying to answer the man's question without being too specific.

"Ah, a drifter." John guessed.

Andrew really didn't like that word to describe him, but he also didn't know what else to call it. "Well, not exactly a drifter, I would say, but maybe something like that. I have just been led to a lot of places before here." He finished, nearly as vaguely as before.

John chuckled, clearly amused by the angel's obvious discomfort. "There is no need to be ashamed, lad. When I said drifter, I by no means meant anything bad by it. After all, aren't many of us wanderers at some points in our lives? Especially here within the Colonies?" He smiled kindly at Andrew, which eased the angels mind a bit. "I am sure you will find what you are looking for sooner or later. Have you a girl somewhere perhaps?" The shopkeeper's eyes twinkled with mischief.

"A... a girl?" Andrew was taken aback by the question and the expression on his face clearly showed that. "Um, no... No, sir... I don't."

Mary looked at her husband over her knitting needles. "John, don't embarrass the poor dear so. His personal affairs with young ladies are none of our business."

"You're quite right, my dear." John said to his wife. The man shifted his youngest daughter onto his other knee and looked at Andrew somewhat apologetically. "I apologize for making you uncomfortable there. My curiosity seems to have gotten the better of me."

"But Elizabeth is going to get married!" Benjamin exclaimed loudly with excitement and James quickly put his hand over his younger brother's mouth.

"Hush, Ben! You know you are not to speak right now. Not unless an adult speaks to you first." The older boy whispered importantly to his brother.

"But it is true." Benjamin said, this time quieter.

Andrew smiled at the boys' enthusiasm. "Is that so? Well, congratulations to Elizabeth then." He said, glancing at the young lady, who again, got a faraway look in her eye.

Andrew wanted to ask the girl if she even liked the young man, as she seemed to get uncomfortable each time the subject was brought up. But he knew that it was not his place, and would most likely be frowned upon to ask such a question. Instead he remained quiet.

"Actually," Elizabeth spoke up, rather quietly. She laid her sampler in her lap. "Micah has not even really proposed yet. Mother and Father though seem convinced that he will soon."

Mary smiled happily. "I know we have told you this before, Andrew, but the young man is exceptional. He's kind, romantic, a real gentleman." The woman added

"And he's handsome too." Sarah giggled, giving Andrew a glance.

"All in all, Elizabeth is really blessed to have found such a wonderful young man who shows a lot of promise." Mary stated finally.

"He is a hard worker and he is a Patriot as well." John added, emphasizing the word 'Patriot'.

There was that word again. Andrew glanced at Tess, but his hopes gave way to nothing as she was no longer even in the room. He made a mental note to ask her about the large ordeal over Patriots and Loyalists. That among other things. He felt as if he had been almost sent into this assignment blind, and he pretty much had. Here he was; a novice caseworker who has never been in human form for more than a few hours at a time. Now he was living with humans for who knows how long and he was supposed to help them with something that he doesn't even know about.

As the evening wore on, the angel became more and more frustrated, though he was doing well at hiding it; from the Chandler's at least – but not from Tess. Andrew didn't realize this at the time, but most of the time that Tess had been out of sight, she had merely just been sitting out of sight from him with a mending basket in her lap as she hemmed breeches and darned stockings. The entire time she sat quietly, but listened and observed the conversation around her.

The older angel could tell that Andrew was becoming more frustrated by his lack of understanding in the assignment. She felt bad for him because she knew that he had been sent into a fairly large assignment for someone of his experience and maturity level in the area. He knew hardly a thing about the case and what to do, and she was gathering from the expressions on his face that he knew hardly anything about the king's taxes on the Colonies. She knew that she was going to have to speak with him later that evening once everyone was in bed.

As the supervising angel watched her protégé stifle a yawn, she was then reminded that today had been Andrew's first full day in human form and that he wasn't used to being so tired at the end of the day. She had half the mind to speak up and send him to bed, but knowing her place in the household she remained quiet. She knew though that it was getting late and that from past experience, the family would soon be retiring for the night anyhow. She was fairly certain that Andrew could make it until then, and her suspicions proved correct.

About ten or fifteen minutes later, conversation had begun to wind down. Mary had put away her project, as well as her daughters'. James and Benjamin were sitting quietly, a tired look creeping across each of their faces, and little Miriam's eyes had began to droop sleepily. Andrew was starting to feel like closing his eyes for a while too, when John finally announced that it was time to turn in for the evening.

With a small groan, the shopkeeper stood up from his chair, still carrying his daughter in his arms. Everyone else followed suit and got up from their chairs as well. The children all said good night to Andrew before heading upstairs for the evening.

"We will be up to say good night in just a few minutes." John told Elizabeth quietly, as he gently handed to her Miriam.

Elizabeth nodded in understanding at her Father, and then smiled shyly at Andrew. "Goodnight, Andrew." She told him politely before turning to the stairs.

Andrew nodded in her direction. "Goodnight, Elizabeth. Sleep well." He told her kindly.

The young lady smiled back at him, then started up the stairway. Mary then bid Andrew goodnight as well, and then she followed her daughter up the stairs to tuck her children in for the night.

"Will you be all right for the evening?" John turned and asked his new apprentice quietly, once his wife had gone upstairs.

"I should be fine, thank you." Andrew replied, looking the man in the eye.

The shopkeeper smiled and handed the angel a lantern. "Here, take this. You will need it, as I have yet to get a lamp for the table out there for you."

Andrew accepted the lantern thankfully. "I appreciate it, sir, as well as your hospitality. You have a very nice family."

John grinned proudly. "Thank you, lad. But if you don't mind me saying so, you look a bit weary. We have an early rise in the morning, so it would probably be best now for both of us to turn in for the evening."

Andrew agreed readily and then, turning silently, John walked him to the door.


	6. Chapter 6

_Hi everyone. I just wanted to say that I'm glad you are appreciating the historical aspect of this story. I really love American History, so writing and researching this was a lot of fun for me._

_Oh, and while this chapter may not clear everything up about Andrew's assignment, it is explained just a tad bit more._

_Enjoy the next chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter Six**

When the angel stepped out into the cool April night air, he felt goose bumps run up his arms. It was not really that cold, but the breeze felt cool compared to inside the house. He picked up the lighted lantern and used it to guide his way through the dark back to the barn where he had been in earlier. He stepped inside and quietly pulled the door shut behind him. Inside, away from the night breeze, he felt warm and comfortable. He spotted the ladder that would lead him up to the loft and as he slowly made his way there, he stopped to pat the horses and milk cow gently on the head.

He was very confused and wanted so badly to discuss the assignment and his day with Tess, but had not seen her since earlier when she had been clearing off the table. One thing he wanted to ask was how to keep John Chandler from asking so many questions about where he had been before. By day's end, the angel had come to the conclusion that while the shopkeeper seemed to be a very kind man, he seemed like he could be more than a bit inquisitive at times. But Tess had seemingly abandoned him to his own devices for the case. She had not once met Andrew's eye during the parlor discussions, and it was bothering the angel quite a bit by now. He really did not want to go through his first assignment alone. He'd never be able to accomplish it.

After a few minutes with the animals and contemplating the day, Andrew finally went back up to the loft to get ready for bed and sleep, which he was beginning to yearn for more and more. Once up there, he sat the lantern down on the nightstand and pulled off his shoes, changed into his long nightshirt and after carefully sitting his other clothes aside; he crawled into bed gratefully and pulled the quilts up around himself. He blew out the lantern and then just laid there quietly for a few minutes enjoying the feeling of closing his eyes and resting when he heard a familiar voice in the room.

"Angel Boy, are you asleep all ready?" The voice asked.

Andrew's eyes flew open to see Tess standing in the loft. No lantern or lamp was lit, yet there was enough light in the room to see clearly. Seeing this, the angel had to smile at the little things the Father did for His angels.

"Tess," Andrew finally replied a little surprised. He sat up in bed. "How did you...? Never mind, I know that. But _why_ are you here?"

"I am your supervisor, Andrew." Tess told him, though in a good natured way. "It's my job to pop up at odd times to talk with you. You know that."

An unsure look came across Andrew's face, and he looked down uneasily. "I just thought that maybe you were going to make me do this on my own." He glanced up at her, sorrow and remorse filling his green eyes. "You know... after you wouldn't even look at me this evening in the house. Is it because of this morning... with the gun and everything?"

The older angel looked at him tenderly, compassion filling her heart. "Oh, baby, no." She sat down softly beside him and patted the space beside her. "Come here, Andrew." He scooted over across the bed next to her and she laid her hand on his back.

"Is that what you thought?" She asked him. "That I was angry with you? Andrew, I want you to look at me."

The angel did as she asked and looked her in the eye carefully, awaiting her next sentence.

"Andrew, I am not angry with you at all." She told him firmly.

"You're not?" Andrew asked hopefully, relief already evident in his voice.

"No, I am not. In fact," Tess continued. "I am very proud of you. For the first day as a caseworker, you have done exceptionally well."

Andrew frowned as he reflected. "Well, maybe except for that Lexington thing..."

"Baby, I hope that you aren't going to dwell on that for the rest of your existence." Tess warned him carefully. "Because let me remind you that that would be a very long time. I don't want you to let one mistake affect your outlook on all your assignments, Andrew, or you're never going to be able to be your very best. God forgives you for disobeying your instructions and so do I. Now it's time for you to forgive yourself. Alright?"

Andrew nodded, all ready feeling better than he had been a few minutes before.

"Good." Tess smiled lovingly.

"But Tess, I wanted you to help me and you wouldn't." Andrew explained. He was obviously still upset about his supervisor's lack of involvement earlier that day. "Mr. Chandler asks so many questions and I don't know how to answer them all. I cannot tell him a lie, and yet I cannot tell him that I'm an angel either. I did not know what to do, Tess." Andrew sighed unhappily. "I still don't."

"Andrew, do you really want me to answer all the tough questions in this world for you?" Tess asked him meaningfully.

Andrew sighed at that question for he found it tough to answer as well. He really did kind of wish that Tess would answer the questions for him, but he knew that that was not the answer that his supervisor was looking for. So instead he just shrugged his shoulders silently.

Seeing this, the older angel smiled softly. She had had a feeling his answer would come to that. "Angel Boy, you may think that you want me to answer all the questions, but do you know what?" Tess told him meeting his eye. "You don't. Not really. I know that deep inside you, right here," She tapped gently on his chest. "In your heart you want to have all the answers and be the very best caseworker you can be, and that is not a bad thing."

"Then why am I so afraid to try?" Andrew asked her, slightly amazed by how much she seemed to understand.

"You tell me." She said simply.

Another sigh escaped his lips, and then Andrew answered her. "I guess that I am afraid I'll mess up, Tess." Andrew admitted. As he continued he began to use his fingers and subconsciously twist the quilt that lay across his lap. "I do want to be good at this. I want to very badly. But caseworking is so different from anything I've ever done. What if I mess things up like I did earlier today? What if I do or say something I shouldn't and make my assignment even more complicated? God expects me to help humans with their problems, but what if I let Him down?"

"That is a lot of 'what ifs' for one angel to be carrying around, baby." Tess told him softly. "But I am going to tell you something up front: some assignments are going to be tougher than others. And there are going to be some days where you think you have the entire thing figured out right before the whole assignment takes a sharp turn in a different direction. You are using a human form on the Earth, Angel Boy. Because of that, things are bound to go wrong sometimes. But you need to learn to trust the Father for the answers you don't have, because He has all of them. You are going to make mistakes, Andrew, but He will forgive you. He doesn't expect you to be perfect, baby. He is the only One that can do that."

Andrew nodded. He had inwardly known that that was all true, but it felt good for Tess to tell him that. Though he did have still something else he wanted to know. "Tess," He asked her. "Why can't you even help me with some of the answers?"

"I can." Tess stated in a matter-of-fact manner. "But there are some times when I cannot. You have to remember, baby that you and I are not supposed to know each other right now. That being the case, when Mr. Chandler asks you questions about yourself, I cannot answer them. Only you can. If you do not know what to say, ask the Father. He will tell you."

Andrew shook his head slowly. "This caseworking stuff can be pretty tricky." He commented.

Tess nodded. "It can be; that much is true. But as you get used to it, Andrew, you are going to find out that it is all very rewarding as well. To be used by God to change humans' lives makes it all very worth it."

"I want to do that Tess, I really do." Andrew stated eagerly, feeling better about everything as the conversation went on.

"And you will, baby, you will. You're still learning, but you're learning rather quickly considering the circumstances. As a matter of fact," Tess added. "I think that you're handling this transition well. Being a new caseworker is not easy."

Andrew breathed a sigh of relief, glad to hear that it wasn't just him making all the mistakes and having all the questions.

"Now that we have that covered, we have a few more things we need to discuss. One being the opinions of Loyalists and Patriots." Tess added meaningfully.

Hearing the familiar words once again, Andrew's attention was once again captivated. "Yes. Tess, I don't understand this whole ordeal. John Chandler seems very set on this Patriot thing. What is it all about?"

"Many of these people here came from other countries, Andrew." Tess began explaining. "Some came from England, Germany, and many other places as well. All of them came for their own personal reasons; some to explore a new territory, some just wanted a new life, and some people wanted the simple freedom of worshiping the Father the way they wanted to. They wanted to settle a new land with their families and form a new government of their own."

"Those all sound like fine reasons to me." Andrew input simply.

"They are good reasons, baby." Tess agreed as she continued. "But the king wants to control the people over here as well as in England. Even all the way across the ocean. So he charges taxes on things, like tea for example. Some of the people here support the king and remain loyal to him, even across an ocean. They are called Loyalists because of their loyalty to the king. Then there are the people who do not agree with the king's rulings and taxes. They want freedom from him so that they can run a country of their own. And they are called Patriots." Tess finished.

"Like Mr. Chandler..." Andrew was finally beginning to understand.

"Just like Mr. Chandler." Tess smiled; glad to see some understanding in the other angel's eyes.

"So that's what this is all about. Mr. Chandler wants to live apart from the king and his rulings." Andrew stated thoughtfully. "So I guess the Loyalists and Patriots don't get along so well."

Tess shook her head. "No, baby, most of them do not. There are a few exceptions, but not many. That is what the Battle at Lexington was all about this morning."

"Freedom and Taxes?" Andrew checked.

Tess nodded.

"John Chandler does not sell tea in his store." Andrew said quietly, looking at Tess with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"He, like many Patriots, is not going to support the king's taxes. And that includes selling tea. You may not realize this, but the Chandler's do not drink tea in their home either." Tess added.

"This is a much bigger deal than I thought it was." Andrew mussed. "Is it part of my assignment?"

Tess looked thoughtful. "Perhaps. That might be undetermined as of right now."

"Then what _is_ my assignment Tess? Who is it?" The novice caseworker added. "Is it John? Because I am spending so much time with him, it seems that way. But then he seems so happy and content? Why would he need an angel?"

"There are a lot of reasons to need angels, Andrew." Tess reminded him. "Even seemingly happy people need them sometimes."

"Yes, but then I see his daughter, Elizabeth," Andrew continued, the confusion obviously growing in his tone of voice. "She seems mostly happy as well. But whenever someone mentions her fiancé, Micah..."

"Remember, that has not been finalized." Tess reminded the other angel.

Andrew nodded. "Yes, I know. But it still seems so final already. Elizabeth's parents seem very set on it. But whenever the subject of Micah is brought up, she seems to get such a faraway and confused look in her eyes..." Andrew let his sentence trail as he too got a very similar look in his own eyes.

"Angel Boy," Tess spoke up, bringing Andrew out of his thoughtful steady gaze. "I do not know much about this assignment myself. I have been privileged to know some things, but some of those things I cannot tell you right now."

Andrew's eyebrows wrinkled. "Why not, Tess? It would make things so much easier."

She looked at him fondly as she answered his innocent question. "Andrew, to learn you have to do things for yourself sometimes. If you really want to be the caseworker God wants you to be, then you are going to have to learn to observe and understand things on your own." He began to protest, but she continued anyway. "I understand that this is your first assignment, so I will answer for you what the Father allows me to, but anything beyond that is for you to learn on your own all in good time. Do you understand?"

"I do." He agreed eager for some enlightenment.

Seeing Andrew's enthusiasm, Tess responded. "This entire case is about relationships, Andrew. Between many different individuals and many different kinds of people."

"Are John and Elizabeth some of these people, Tess?" Andrew asked catching on.

"Very much, baby." Tess confirmed. "But there are other people too. Like Micah Hambling and somebody you haven't met yet."

"There's someone else too?" Andrew asked surprised. "Who?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Tess told him. "But you remember what I told you about Loyalists and Patriots, alright? Those two sides are very much involved in this assignment."

"I will, but Tess?" Andrew asked her. "I have a question."

Tess nodded for him to continue and he did. "Earlier this morning, Mr. Chandler asked me whether I was a Patriot or a Loyalist. But the real truth is I'm not either of those. I am an angel, but if I cannot tell them that, then what do I say when people ask me that question?"

"I think you know the answer to that question, Angel Boy." Tess smiled knowingly.

Andrew caught her meaning, then had to chuckle. "Let me guess? Ask the Father what to say?"

She laughed. "You got it, baby. You see, you are learning all ready. It won't be long and you won't even need me anymore."

Andrew nodded. "Maybe, but I don't think I'm ready to do this on my own anytime soon, Tess." He reminded her, worried the time she referred to would be in the near future.

Tess' face softened as she saw the insecure look on the other angel's face. "I know, but don't worry. I am not going to leaving you on your own anytime soon. Remember, a 'long time' for an angel and a 'long time' for a human are two completely different things."

Andrew just smiled at this last remark. He knew that she was right and he also knew to ask God for any direction he needed. But he still couldn't help but feel uneasy and maybe even a little afraid of being left to his own decisions and choices while on Earth without any supervising guidance.

Suddenly, he felt another yawn coming on and this time, the angel couldn't hide it. He was really tired and he was sure that he and Tess had already spent an hour talking.

Seeing the exhausted look come over Andrew's face, Tess decided that any other conversation would have to take place the next day. "I think it's time for you to get some sleep, Angel Boy." She told him softly. "The first few full days in human form can really take a toll on even the strongest of angels." She smiled as she stood up from her place on the edge of the bed. "Trust me; I've seen it happen before."

"Tess," Andrew asked the older angel as she stood up. "How old are you? I mean, when were you first in human form as a caseworker like this?"

She shook her head and smiled inwardly at the curious angel's questions. "A long, long time ago, Andrew. Now you go on, lay down."

Andrew did what he was told and laid back down. But even though he could already feel his eyes begin to droop, he found himself asking another question. "So... when you first started in stuff like caseworking... you had a supervisor too?"

"You are persistent, aren't you?" Tess tried to hide a smile and look stern instead. "Yes, Andrew, I had a supervisor and I still do. But I have a different one then I started out with. His name is Sam and I am sure you will meet him someday."

But Tess' words went unheard by Andrew, for the weary angel had already fallen asleep before the supervisor could finish her sentence. When Tess saw this, she let out a soft chuckle. It didn't surprise her how fast he had given in to sleep... once he laid down, that was.

She walked over to his cot and tucked the quilt in around him. Then she stood there watching him sleep for a few minutes longer. While he slept, the expression on the angel's face was full of peace, contrary to any feelings he might have had earlier that day. Part of Tess wished that the first assignment of her protégé wasn't so difficult and complex. But then the other part of her knew that God's timing was perfect and that He knew exactly what He was doing.

She turned to leave the loft, but before she did, she paused to offer up a prayer to the Father.

"Father," She prayed quietly. "You know I am a little concerned about this being Andrew's first assignment as a caseworker. But I know that You know best, so let me just ask that You please remind Andrew of that over the next few days. He knows that You love him and are with him, but sometimes amidst the confusion he starts to forget."

With that said, Tess stole one more glance at the sleeping angel. Then disappeared as quickly as she had come, leaving nothing behind; save one darned stocking draped across the back of a chair.


	7. Chapter 7

_This chapter is a little shorter than the previous ones. And I don't usually like to do such short chapters, but for the sake of decent scene transitions it has to be. _

_As always, enjoy!_

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**Chapter Seven**

The next morning, Andrew woke up bright and early to the sound of a rooster crowing at signs of first light. It took a moment for the angel to remember where he was, but once he did, he quickly kicked off the quilt that had become tangled about him, got out of bed, and pulled on some clean clothes.

He sat down on the edge of the cot and was reaching for the pair of stockings from the night before when he noticed his now mended stocking draped across the back of the chair by his bed. He smiled when he saw it and knew that Tess must have darned it for him the night before. Once he was dressed and his face was washed, he scooped up his hat and the headed down the ladder.

He left the barn and was halfway to the house when he met thirteen-year-old Sarah Chandler coming down the path. She was dressed neatly in a light blue dress sprinkled with designs of flowers across it. She wore a straw hat to protect her fair face from the sun, but Andrew could clearly see a smile underneath it.

"Good morning, Andrew!" She called out cheerfully.

"Good morning to you too." Andrew returned, pausing when he reached her. "What are you doing out here?"

She shrugged. "I have to milk Molly..." She eyed him hopefully. "Would you like to help?"

Andrew smiled. "Why not?"

"Splendid!" Sarah exclaimed and together the two headed back to the barn. There the young girl knew exactly what she was doing. Andrew watched as she quickly located a bucket and stool and sat down beside the cow. The angel observed for a moment or two, and then finally broke the silence with a question.

"Does your brother not milk Molly?" He asked the girl.

She smiled slightly. "Aye, James does most days. But I... I wanted to do it today, so we switched. He will be taking care of the horses today instead."

Andrew nodded. "Ah, I see. So tell me this, Sarah. Does Elizabeth have any barn chores? Will she be coming out here as well?"

The girl shook her head. "No, she used to. But now that James, Benjamin, and Miriam are older she stays inside and helps Mother in the morning." She then eyed Andrew suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"

Andrew shrugged. "I just had a question for her." He replied vaguely.

Sarah sighed loudly as she went back to her milking. "She has a suitor." The girl said after a moment.

"What?" Andrew asked, caught off guard by the sudden remark.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Elizabeth _has_ a suitor. Micah Hambling. So what else could you possibly want to ask her?"

Instead of answering the question, Andrew took a new direction with the conversation. "Sarah, what do you think of Micah Hambling? Do you like him?"

Sarah sounded disinterested as she replied. "I like him fine. He's a very kind young man."

Andrew nodded. "So what does your sister think of Micah?"

"Why, she loves him, of course!" Sarah exclaimed. She looked at Andrew in surprise. "Besides, what kind of question is that anyway? I don't see how it concerns you at all."

Andrew was taken aback by the girl's quick remark. "Uh, well, you are right. I suppose it really is none of my business. I was just wondering is all. I couldn't help but notice that your sister seemed to look distressed at the very mention of Micah."

Sarah sighed in defeat as she stood up from her milk stool and faced the angel. "You are right, Andrew, and I apologize for speaking to you so rudely. It's just that..."

"Yes?" Andrew prodded.

"I do not believe that Elizabeth really wants to marry Micah." Sarah admitted in an uneasy whisper. "But you cannot reveal to a single soul that I said so."

Andrew nodded. "I will not say a word, I promise. But may I have the opportunity to ask you another question?"

The girl nodded as she picked up the bucket of milk.

"Why do you think this of your sister?" The angel asked the girl.

"For some of the same reasons that you have all ready noticed in the very short time that you have been here." Sarah stated easily. "When Elizabeth and Micah first began to see one another, she seemed to love him very much. But now she seems different. Though Micah still loves her, I'm sure, I think that Elizabeth's mind is now on somebody else."

Andrew's green eyes widened in surprise. "Really? Why, who would that be?"

"Samuel Carroll," She whispered. "But do not reveal this information to anyone either. Especially my father."

"Your father does not approve of this other young man?" Andrew asked carefully. He was getting information and was afraid that if he sounded too eager, the child would cease to keep giving it.

The girl shook her head. "Samuel Carroll and his family are Loyalists while my family is Patriots. Especially my father. The first time, he saw Elizabeth and Samuel talking together, he became very angry. Now he has forbidden us children to have any relationship with Loyalists at all." She sighed sadly. "My good friend Bethany Herriot's family is Loyalists, yet I have been forbidden to speak with her. Elizabeth still sees Samuel though..." She added.

"Does she?" The angel asked surprised.

Sarah nodded, and then looked at Andrew curiously. "Why am I telling you all of this? How do I know that I can trust you?" She asked him defensively. "I barely know you."

Andrew shrugged and took the heavy pail of milk from the girl's arms. They began to walk slowly back towards the house. "I do not know why you have told me all this, Sarah." He told her. "But let me ask you this. Do you feel that you can trust me somehow?"

"Yes." She confirmed. "I do feel that way, Andrew. But I do not know why. Something inside me says that I can though. I have never felt like this before."

The angel smiled. "Well, trust that feeling, Sarah." He told her solemnly. "You can trust me and I promise to you that I will not tell anybody what you have told me. And you can count on that."

She smiled admiringly up at him. "I like you." She admitted shyly.

"Well, I like you too." The angel replied. "You are a very nice young lady."

Hearing these words, the girl grinned as her cheeks flushed pink and then took off quickly to the house. Andrew followed slowly, but instead of going through the front door where Sarah had gone, he walked around and came in through the back into the kitchen where he found Tess and Mary inside.

"Good morning." He greeted them shyly. "Where would you like me to set this?" He inquired, gesturing to the pail of fresh milk.

"Oh, good morning, Andrew." Mary smiled pleasantly at him. "How is it that you ended up with the milk that James was supposed to bring in?"

Andrew chuckled slightly. "Oh, well, if memory serves me correct, Sarah requested milk duty this morning she tells me. I met her coming up the path to the house earlier. But she got a little excited about something on the way back in, so I took the milk for her."

"Thank you, Andrew." Mary took the pail from him. "But why ever would she ask to milk the cow? That child... Excuse me for just a moment." The woman said, and then left the room.

Once the woman was gone, Tess smiled at Andrew from where she stood slicing fruit for breakfast. "Did you sleep alright?" She asked him.

"Yes, I did actually." He confirmed. Then a confused expression came over his face. "But what happened last night, Tess? I don't seem to remember. I know we talk about various things and that all remains clear. Then after that you told me to lie down and then after that..." He shook his head. "After that I forget."

Tess chuckled. "You were tired, Angel Boy. You fell asleep almost instantly once you had lain down. You had a busy day yesterday."

"I guess I did. What is today going to bring though, Tess?" He asked her.

The older angel shook her head. "Only the Father knows that, Andrew. You just go with the flow and do as Mr. Chandler asks you, alright? And please try to stay out of trouble." She added.

"I will." Andrew smiled and then pointed down. "Oh, and thank you for mending my stocking last night, Tess." He added. "I really do appreciate it."

Tess shook her head. "That's all right, baby. But let me tell you this; you get that stocking or anything else torn disobeying me again, and you will be mending it yourself. Do you understand?"

Andrew nodded submissively. "Yes ma'am."

"Now, go on." Tess reminded him. "Get into that dining room and eat your breakfast. Mr. Chandler is going to want to leave soon."

Andrew nodded and left for the dining room. Upon entering he found that most of the Chandler family was just entering the room as well.

"Good morning, lad." John greeted Andrew when he entered. "Did you sleep well last night?"

Andrew nodded as he sat down in his chair at the table. "Yes sir. I did, thank you."

As the family sat down to eat, plans were discussed. Mary planned on visiting a woman she called Ms. Steinbeck. From what Andrew could gather from conversation, the woman was getting up in her years and her health was steadily declining.

Elizabeth and Sarah were going to see a Mrs. Windham, who they apparently helped out as seamstresses. Then afterwards, Elizabeth would be going to see Micah before returning home for supper.

John stated that he intended to visit Charles Knoll's tavern that evening after they closed up the store. Hearing this, Andrew assumed that he would be going with the shopkeeper and made a note of that in his head.

Soon though, breakfast was over and everyone began to scatter in their own directions. John said good bye to his family for the day and soon after that he and Andrew were on their way to the store in town.


	8. Chapter 8

_This chapter happens to be a bit longer than the previous ones and much longer than the last one_

_Enjoy and thanks to Yva J. for pointing out the typo in the last chapter. It's been fixed!_**  
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**Chapter Eight**

By the time they reached the store that morning, Andrew could all ready tell what was taking up most of his assignment's thoughts. It was the battle that had gone on the morning before. Andrew didn't bring the subject up though for multiple reasons. One, being that he did not have anything to say about it that the shopkeeper would want to know, and Two being the fact that he was still uncomfortable talking about it.

He had told Tess that he wouldn't dwell on the matter, but that alone would not keep him from remembering it. He had a feeling that he was going to remember that morning for a very long time.

Soon they reached the store and they found it exactly as they had left it the evening before. They opened up and Andrew wandered aimlessly behind the counter. There was not much to be done, but he found himself wishing there was. He was a little afraid that John would begin asking him questions again. And it wasn't that it was wrong to ask questions. It was perfectly normal to, as a matter of fact. But because Andrew was not as normal as he appeared, he didn't have any true "normal" answers for the man. But he did not have to worry about this long because a woman walked into the store only a few minutes after they had been open.

The woman appeared to be in her mid-fifties and she wore her fading brown hair up neatly behind her head. She was not a very tall person, only going up to Andrew's shoulder, but she carried herself with a dignity that made up for the lack of inches.

As soon as she entered, she made a bee line to the counter where John and Andrew stood. When she reached them, she glanced momentarily at Andrew as if to try and recognize him. When she obviously came up with no conclusion, she then turned to the proprietor of the store.

"Mr. Chandler," She addressed the man. "I am sure you have heard about the battle yesterday morning? Have you not?" She asked him and Andrew noticed how rapidly she spoke.

John nodded his head in reply. "Aye, Miss Lorrington, I did hear about it. But that is all I have heard thus far. Do you have any more news?" He asked her hopefully.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I do not. That is precisely the reason I came to speak with you. I know you do have a very keen interest in these matters, and I figured my best chance of learning anything of this ordeal would be to come to you."

"I am sorry, ma'am." John shrugged. "I wish I could tell you something, but it appears that I know no more than you do on the subject. I do plan on finding out though what transpired over there, later today."

"Will you please let me know when you do?" She asked him.

"Of course, Miss Lorrington." John promised.

Satisfied with the reply, the woman once again looked at Andrew. "Why, who is this young man?" Miss. Lorrington asked John. "I do not believe I have seen him around town before."

"That would be because he just came into town yesterday." John replied. "Miss Lorrington, this is Andrew. He is my new apprentice and I must say that he is doing an excellent job so far." He then turned to Andrew, who had been standing quietly the entire time. "Andrew, may I present to you Miss Anna Lorrington. Miss Lorrington has known me since I was a young apprentice myself." He smiled kindly at the woman.

Andrew smiled pleasantly at the woman. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lorrington." He told her, nodding his head politely.

"And you as well, my dear." She told him kindly. "I must say though, you are very lucky to be getting to learn from John here. He is a good man. He will teach you a lot."

"He has taught me much already." Andrew replied. "I would not be being truthful if I could not say that even yesterday was a day to remember for me." And that was the absolute truth.

"Well, I hate to leave." Miss Lorrington said a few minutes later. "But I have a few things I need to do today."

"I will see you again later, Miss Lorrington." John replied. "Thank you for dropping by."

They said their goodbyes and once the woman had gone and Andrew was fairly certain she was out of earshot, he turned to the shopkeeper. "She seems like a... unique woman." He stated vaguely.

John chuckled. "Go on, lad, you can say it. She is very peculiar. I know! But she is also a very kind woman."

"She seems very interested in yesterday's battle." Andrew observed.

John nodded in agreement. "She is and I rather expected her to show up here today. If Miss Lorrington does not know about something that might be happening within a 200 mile radius of here, she will make sure she finds out. I assure you." He laughed.

Suddenly the man's laughter was replaced with a small scowl. Andrew turned to see who the man was frowning at to find a group of four men coming into the store arguing amongst themselves.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" John asked them speaking over their chatter. "Or did you come only to keep away customers?"

A young man who Andrew recognized as Micah Hambling stepped forward. "I am terribly sorry, Mr. Chandler. I was coming over here to give you a message, when I seemed to have picked up a little trouble on my way over."

John frowned even further and peered at the three young men behind Micah. "You three are all Loyalists, are you not?" He asked them.

They confirmed that they were and Andrew could see the angry look on the shopkeeper's face. The man pointed to the door of the building. "Please leave. I will not have Loyalists harassing people in my store."

One of the young men narrowed his eyes angrily. "You Patriots are all the same!" He stated loudly. "You're all good for nothing back stabbers are what you are!"

"Leave my store now!" John demanded loudly and the two men resentfully turned around and stomped out the door. Now besides Micah, only one other young man remained.

He appeared to be about the same age as Micah, yet was an inch or two taller. He wore his blonde hair loose and his brown eyes showed confidence and wisdom beyond his years.

John looked at the young man wearily. "I _know_ that you are a Loyalist, young Mr. Carroll. And do you too insist on antagonizing my customers?"

The young man shook his head solemnly. "No sir. That was not my intended purpose when I entered your store. The other two young men followed Micah and me here."

John then looked at Micah rather accusingly. "You were associating with a Loyalist, Micah?"

"Mr. Chandler," Micah stepped forward and said earnestly. "I only came to give you a message and nothing more. Samuel was also on his way here, though for reasons I do not know of. We merely met along the way."

"And that is all?" John checked.

Both young men nodded their heads affirmatively. "I did not wish to bother you nor Micah with my ideas and beliefs, sir." The young man, Samuel, confessed. "I came here only to buy some supplies for my mother, who is at home taking care of my father who is ill."

"Yet you, a Loyalist, wish to patronize a store which will sell no tea or any other taxed goods?" The shopkeeper asked, still unsure of the young Loyalist's motives.

"Yes." Samuel said firmly. "I _am_ a Loyalist. I support my king and his ideas. Yet I am also a person of free will, choices, and behavior. And I respect those opinions of others, even of whom I do not agree. Whether I choose to support a man and a store that is against my king is my own decision."

"And yet you choose to do so?" Micah asked in surprise.

Samuel nodded. "I do."

"Whatever for, lad?" John wanted to know, though the suspicious and angry look had not yet left his eyes.

"Simply because I find you a good man, Mr. Chandler." Samuel stated easily. "Your ideas are not mine, but you have good intentions and morals otherwise. In the last three years in which I have lived here in Lattinburg I have seen you help countless people, giving to the needy and grieving with those who have lost loved ones. You are a good man, Mr. Chandler, and I only wish to be your friend rather than your foe."

"That was a very fine speech, young Mr. Carroll. I almost believed it, but I also know that you have another intention. You wish to court my daughter, Elizabeth, but I will not have it." John snapped harshly. "My daughter has found a good gentleman already. A Patriot at that. Why would I ever entertain the idea of my daughter marrying a Loyalist?"

Samuel sighed. "I agree, for I did not believe that you would ever agree to such a thing. Yes, I do find your daughter attractive, but in more ways than just her outward beauty. I know you do not want to hear this, Mr. Chandler, nor you Micah. But this is true." The Loyalist said earnestly. "I do love Elizabeth greatly. She lights a fire within my heart every time I see her or speak to her. I realize that she comes from a family of Patriots and I respect that. I really do."

"Do you now?" John asked. "Then you must understand that I will not have my family socializing with Loyalists."

"What is really so terrible about Loyalists that you cannot have your children even speak with them?" Samuel exclaimed. "We are colonists as well!"

"You support the king and his army." John replied angrily.

"And what is so wrong with that?" Samuel challenged and Andrew could see the anger growing on the young man's face.

"The king's taxes are wrong and unjust!" Micah joined in the argument. "He has no idea what it is like over here within the Colonies! He wants to control us, so he taxes us anyway! We will not support a king like that! We are going to set up our own government."

"This is treason." Samuel shook his head. "King George is doing the best he can with a difficult situation. He is _not_ a cruel or unjust ruler. But you Patriots are disloyal and fight against your own king's armies."

"He is not _our_ king." Micah shouted defensively.

"He _is_ your king." Samuel replied just as harshly. "Nothing you say can change the truth. Because of your disloyalty a battle occurred near Concord yesterday. Blood was shed and men _died_."

"If that is what it takes, then so be it!" Micah retorted. "But I will not live under the rulings of such a selfish man who is an entire ocean away!"

"Enough!" John cut in angrily. "I will not have this any longer! If you two young lads wish to argue over rights, wrongs, taxes, and loyalty; then I must request that you take it somewhere else. How can I ever expect people to come into a store when people inside are acting in such a manner?"

Both Micah and Samuel immediately quit arguing. They were quiet for a moment and Andrew found the silence very awkward. Throughout the entire conversational argument, he had kept quiet and just watched. There had been a couple of times that he had wanted to interject, but had thought better of it. It was not his argument and if he wasn't a part of it, he certainly didn't want to become one.

Finally, Samuel sighed unhappily. He began to back away from the counter where, Andrew, John, and Micah stood. "I am truly sorry, Mr. Chandler." He apologized, his brown eyes sincere. "I really did not intend any harm. I will purchase my mother's goods elsewhere, if that is what you wish."

And with those words the young man left the store. After that there was another time of silence, yet not as awkward as before. Andrew really had no idea what to say. He felt compelled to say something, yet couldn't help but feel intimidated by the sudden outbursts. What if he said something wrong and John began to shout at him as well? He did not have to worry long, for John himself broke the silence.

"I am deeply sorry, lad." John turned to Andrew with an apologetic look. "You look a bit surprised, if you don't mind my saying so. Are you alright?"

Andrew swallowed and smiled weakly. "I am fine, sir. Thank you." He glanced at the open door to the shop which led into a bustling street. "Who was the young man that was just in here?"

"That was Samuel Carroll, a young Loyalist." John sighed wearily. "He can usually have quite a decent disposition, despite his beliefs. But he has his eyes set on my daughter. That I cannot tolerate."

Andrew just nodded as the man continued.

"Andrew, may I present to you Mr. Micah Hambling." John gestured to the young man standing quietly beside the counter. "He has been courting my daughter for the last few years and is like a son to me already. Micah, this is my new apprentice Andrew."

"I am pleased to meet you." Micah smiled kindly at the angel. "I am sorry it had to be on such terms."

"Never mind that." Andrew replied with a smile. "And you are a Patriot, I presume?"

"I am and proud of it." Micah said firmly. "The British government has humiliated and dishonored the colonies and I am not willing to sit by and ignore it."

"You sound very strong willed." Andrew observed. "That is not such a bad trait."

"Thank you, I agree with you." Micah grinned. "And you; are you a Patriot as well? Of course; I am not sure and it may not be my place to ask, but you are working for Mr. Chandler so I assume you must be."

There was one of those questions. Andrew winced inwardly. How does an angel answer such a question? After his talk with Tess the evening before, he now understood the difference between Loyalists and Patriots. He understood what they believed, how they felt, what they wanted. But now he was being asked to give some answers. And he didn't know what they were. It was at that moment that he remembered what Tess had reminded him of before for when he had no answers.

Silently, he sent a prayer up to God and asked the Father for words to give the two men before him. When he got an answer, he sighed with relief and then smiled slightly.

"To be truthful," He told Micah and John. "I am not exactly sure what I think about all of this. I do see both sides of the argument, yet am not ready to call myself a 'Loyalist' or 'Patriot'. I am sorry if that offends either one of you, as I know you are both strong believers in independence from the king, but this is the only answer I can give you at the time."

John shook his head. "No need to worry, Andrew. I have met your kind plenty of times. Sooner or later, you will decide for yourself what is right."

"And when you do, I trust you will act upon it." Micah said, eyeing the angel carefully. "As many of us have already done."

"By discontinuing tea in your store?" Andrew gave an example.

John nodded. "Yes, or as in other people's cases, joining the militia and fighting for independence." He smiled encouragingly at Andrew. "Do not trouble yourself, lad. When the time is right, you will know where you stand. Now," He turned to Micah. "What message did you have for me?"

"I was sent by your wife, sir." Micah replied. "Mrs. Chandler asks that you return home on time this evening, as opposed to stopping by the tavern as you had originally planned."

"Is this so? Well whatever for?" John asked surprised.

Micah sighed sadly. "Ms. Steinbeck is not doing so well, I am afraid. Mrs. Chandler wishes to remain with her throughout the night."

"Is she doing so poorly?" The shopkeeper sounded concerned.

Micah nodded solemnly. "Yes sir, I am afraid she is. There is not much the doctor can do for her this time, I hear. They say it won't be long now."

A sad expression came over John's face. "Alright then. Thank you, lad, for coming this way to tell me. I suppose I can visit Mr. Knoll tomorrow evening. If anything there will be more news by that point."

"Aye, sir, I am sure you're right." Micah replied.

The young man turned to leave, but John then stopped him."Micah, my lad." The shopkeeper began. "Why don't you join my family and me for supper this evening? We would love to have you."

Micah smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Chandler. I will do that. Please tell Elizabeth that I will see her tonight."

"Wonderful." John announced pleased. "We will see you tonight then."

"Oh," Micah looked at Andrew before he stepped out of the store. "Again, it was a pleasure meeting you, Andrew. I look forward to making your acquaintance again this evening."

The young man left and Andrew turned to John. "Micah seems very nice. I can see why you are fond of him."

John nodded. "He is a great boy."

"So we will not be visiting the tavern tonight then?" Andrew changed the subject.

With a sigh, the shopkeeper shook his head. "I am afraid not. I must get home and tend to the children so that Mary can tend to Ms. Steinbeck."

"Can Elizabeth and Tess not tend to them?" Andrew wondered.

"They can." John nodded. "But if my wife wishes for me to remain home with them, then that is what I will do. You do realize," He told the angel carefully. "That you are perfectly free to visit the tavern yourself, if you like. You are not bound to remain at either the shop or home."

"Yes sir." Andrew nodded. "Thank you, but I believe I would rather not go traipsing through this town yet on my own." And that was also the truth. The angel felt nowhere near ready to be left alone in town. After the episode the morning before, he still felt a bit unconfident in his worldly knowledge and abilities.

"As you wish." John shrugged. "What concerns me right now is Ms. Steinbeck."

"Does she have no family?" Andrew asked the man.

John shook his head. "Not here. She came with her husband to Lattinburg five years ago. Ever since he died, she has been on her own. Yet her health has been declining since that time. And she has no children."

"How sad." Andrew commented sincerely. How horrible it must be to live like that.

"My wife has been very good to her." John continued. "It does not surprise me that she would take it upon herself to stay with the Mrs. Steinbeck."

Andrew agreed. Even though he had not known the family for very long at all; only a day, in fact, he could see that they were good people. They had generous hearts and he could see that they loved each other very much.

Tess had said that his assignment was about relationships. Andrew was still a little confused as to what exactly that was supposed to mean, but he knew better than to ask any further questions about it. Tess had already told him that she could tell him no more and that he needed to figure some things out on his own. So he decided that he would strive to do that without pestering his supervisor.

He really did want to be the best caseworker that that he could possibly be. But he did find the transition from Search and Rescue to his new position a bit challenging, to say the least. During Search and Rescue he had only spent minutes on Earth at a time and only interacting minimally with human beings. During that time, he had never gained much worldly experience. So now, being thrown into the entire thing so suddenly, it was not easy.

Case working was supposed to be rewarding. Any angel who had been there would tell you that. But Andrew hadn't yet found that reward. True, he was only in his second day, but he had hoped the reward would be easily reached. So far, he had mostly just found confusion and questions.

One question that remained was _who_ exactly did his assignment involve? He was fairly certain it was Elizabeth and John. But what did they need that Andrew could do for them? That was the thought that remained on the angel's mind throughout the rest of the work day.


	9. Chapter 9

_Thanks for the encouragement everyone, I love you! ;-)_

_Enjoy this next chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

When John and Andrew returned home that evening, they found everyone home except for Mary. Elizabeth and Sarah were busy taking down the laundry, just as it had been done the day before. As they did this, the three younger children played in the yard.

And just as the day before, when the children saw their father coming up the path, they stopped playing and came running to the man happily. The greeted Andrew as well and he returned the greeting warmly. He was really beginning to like this family. That was one thing he found about case working that was good and bad both.

As a caseworker, he got to spend more time with people and develop relationships with them. But once the assignment was over and it was time for him to move on, he would have to say good bye to these new friends. But at this moment he pushed the thought out of his mind. He had never had to say a real "good bye" to someone before and he wasn't looking forward to doing it for the first time.

They were walking towards the house when Sarah appeared by Andrew's side, carrying a basket of sheets. She smiled fondly up at the angel and Andrew smiled back down at her.

"How are you today, Sarah?" He asked her kindly.

"I am doing fine, thank you." She replied. "Did you have a good day with my father?" She asked him curiously.

Andrew thought about the earlier political dispute in the store and nodded his head slowly. "It was... interesting." He told her truthfully. "To say the least."

"I love Father's store." She said happily. "There are so many interesting things there. When I was younger, I would spend so much time there. But now Mrs. Windham needs help with her sewing, so Elizabeth and I spend more time with her now."

"Do you enjoy sewing?" Andrew asked her, as the large group neared the door of the house.

She shrugged. "It is alright, I suppose." She paused thoughtfully. "What is it like... to be an apprentice?" She asked him.

This time it was the angel's turn to shrug. "It's interesting..." He told her. "You meet many different kinds of people in such a place."

The rest of the family began to go into the house, but when Andrew saw that Sarah was standing outside of the door instead, he waited with her. Once all the family had gone into the house, she looked up at Andrew sincerely.

"It happened again, didn't it?" She asked him softly.

Andrew cocked his head curiously. "What do you mean, Sarah?" He replied to her.

She sighed. "Was there an argument in the store today between my father and some Loyalists?" She asked him concernedly.

Andrew wrinkled his eyebrows. "Yes." He said truthfully, a little surprised as well. "How did you know?"

The girl just shrugged.

"You are a very perceptive young lady." Andrew commented. "You know that, don't you?"

"I know that my father despises anyone who supports the king. He does not want to live under his authority and he gets angry when someone differs with him over the subject." She glanced away uneasily. "I have seen the debates happen before, though my father does not know this."

Andrew looked at the worried child carefully. "Does it frighten you, Sarah, when your father has these arguments?" He asked her softly.

She cast her eyes downward for a moment, the looked at Andrew seriously. She nodded. "Aye. It does frighten me, Andrew." She whispered quietly. "For so very many reasons it does."

Suddenly the front door opened and John poked his head out. "Are you two coming in?" He asked them with a playful smile. "Or are you going to stand out here and shoot the breeze all day?"

"We were just getting ready to come in, Father." Sarah told him. "We will be there in just a moment."

John nodded. "Very well then. But do not linger for very long. Your sister and Tess could use some help in the kitchen preparing supper." He instructed his daughter.

"Yes Father." She replied obediently. John then went back into the house.

"I have to go in and assist my sister." Sarah told Andrew once John had shut the door.

The girl was just about to go into the house, when Andrew stopped her. "Sarah," he began. "We can discuss this at a later time." He offered. "That is, if you wish to."

She smiled gratefully up at him. "I would like that, thank you." She agreed. "This evening, perhaps?"

Andrew nodded. "When the time is right."

She smiled at him one last time, then turned and went into the house. Andrew watched her go, and then was suddenly aware of someone standing behind him. He turned around to find Tess watching him.

"Tess." He smiled contentedly. "I think I am finally getting somewhere with this case."

She nodded. "It has taken you a little while, but you're right. You're learning, Angel Boy. And you are doing well."

"I am not sure exactly what I need to do yet," Andrew continued. "But I think I am beginning to get the idea that it has to do with Elizabeth's relationships with Micah and Samuel."

"You just be careful what you 'think', baby." Tess warned him. "I am not saying that you are wrong. As a matter of fact, you are on the right track. But when dealing with human love, things can get complicated. That little girl sure understands that." She referred to Sarah.

"Sarah seems to understand so much of what is going on in this family." Andrew agreed. "Perhaps even more than anyone else does. And she wants to talk to me, though I do not know why. But I am perfectly willing to listen to anything she has to say."

"Children often know more than adults think they do." Tess told him. "But with that comes burdens that adults do not realize. Sarah finds you easy to talk to, Andrew, she trusts you. So when you listen to her, do more than just try to pick out clues to your assignment. Really listen to her."

Andrew nodded solemnly. "I will, Tess."

Tess paused, and then looked Andrew questioningly. "Angel Boy, did something happen at the store today?" She asked him knowingly.

The other angel looked at her in surprise. "Yes." he said simply. "How did you know?"

Tess just smiled. "And what did you think of that little argument?"

Andrew shrugged. "Honestly, Tess, it kind of confused me. I mean, who are really the right ones in this? Is it the Patriots or the Loyalists?"

"Right and wrong are for the Lord to decide, Andrew. And you can come up with whatever opinion you want, but that's not the real problem right now." Tess told him. "The real problem right now is hate, baby. It is not wrong for people to disagree. It happens every day and no one can fix that. But when people start to use their disagreements to hate and cause wars, that's when there is a problem."

"Tess, I cannot stop a war!" Andrew exclaimed.

"You're right." Tess agreed. "And that is not what I want you to do. What I want you to do is be a peacemaker in a battle." But before Andrew could protest she continued. "Not the kind of battle you concerned yourself with yesterday. But one that could tear a family apart if it is not resolved."

"The Chandlers?" Andrew asked, glancing at the house in which the family lived.

Tess nodded. "That's right, baby. And if you don't know who I am talking about right now, you will understand soon."

But Andrew did think he knew who his supervisor meant. He thought about John Chandler and his strong feelings against the king and Loyalists. He thought about a young Loyalist's love for the daughter of a Patriot. He thought about the harsh words that had been exchanged in the store earlier that day and suddenly Andrew was beginning to think he knew what needed to be done.

* * *

It was after supper that evening and Andrew once again found himself sitting in the Chandler's parlor with the family. Only this time Mary was not present and Micah Hambling was there instead. 

Andrew found the conversation pleasant and enjoyable. He was not near as tired as he had been the day before and was also happy to find that even though Tess could see and hear what was going on, he did not feel the need for her help. As a matter of fact, he was beginning to feel quite a bit more confident in his new line of work.

"Father, where is Mother at?" Benjamin asked, getting up from his seat on the rug and walking over to the chair where his father sat.

"Your mother is staying the night with Ms. Steinbeck." John informed his youngest son. "She will be back tomorrow morning."

"Why is she at Ms. Steinbeck's house?" The little boy asked next.

John sighed and pulled his son onto his knee. "Ms. Steinbeck is very sick, Benny." He told the boy softly. "Your mother wanted to stay there and take care of her."

"Oh." Benjamin said simply.

But James was not satisfied with the answer and now his curiosity was peaked as well. "Is Ms. Steinbeck going to die?" He asked courageously.

Micah shook his head. "We do not know, James." He told the young boy. "She may."

"That would make me sad." Benjamin commented his voice filled with sorrow.

"Ms. Steinbeck has been very good to all of us. It would make all of us sad, Benjamin." Elizabeth told her brother truthfully.

Andrew listened to the conversation silently. He had never met the woman they spoke of, but he knew as an angel that if she were to die, she would be in a much better place than she was right now. It was not that Lattinburg was a bad place, but Andrew had been in heaven and had seen God. He knew that nothing could ever surpass that. It did confuse him somewhat to watch these humans discuss death so sorrowfully. He knew that they would miss the woman and that was why they were so sad, yet he had a hard time separating the truth he knew as an angel and the emotions he felt in human form.

But he did not dwell on these thoughts for very long because his attention was soon moved to observing Micah and Elizabeth. He noticed how happy Micah appeared whenever he looked at Elizabeth. He noticed how his face would light up whenever she spoke and how the young man could not seem to take his eyes off her.

Then Andrew noticed Elizabeth. Her mind seemed someplace other than the current conversation and her knitting. She did not try and catch Micah's eye ever so often as much as he did, yet when their gaze did meet, she began to look uncomfortable.

Andrew was definitely beginning to see a pattern between the two young people, but it wasn't until his own gaze accidentally met the one of Sarah did he realize that the young girl had been observing the same things he had.

One thing Andrew did notice was that John Chandler seemingly had no idea about the feelings his daughter was so obviously harboring. Or was it not that obvious? Maybe it wasn't. Maybe he and Sarah were one of the few that recognized the look of uncertainty in Elizabeth's face. John was obviously very set on the idea that Micah and Elizabeth would soon be married.

Andrew was quickly brought out of his reverie by John's stern voice questioning his eldest daughter.

"Elizabeth?" He began.

"Yes Father?" She asked him innocently, glancing up from her knitting project.

"Have you been seeing that young Samuel Carroll?" He asked her suspiciously.

An alarmed look came over the young woman's face and she looked quickly at Micah, who also seemed to be waiting for an answer.

She quickly regained her composure though and managed to answer calmly. "No, Father. Of course not." She said, her blue eyes meeting her father's surely. "Why would you ever ask such a thing?"

Micah replied, his voice quiet. "Samuel came into your father's store earlier today." He told her. "He mentioned you."

Elizabeth's face went white. "Me?"

John nodded. "He did."

Flustered, Elizabeth quickly stood up from the settee on which Sarah was also sitting. The young woman quickly put her knitting back into the sewing basket. "I am beginning to feel rather tired." The young woman informed them. "May I be excused, Father?"

Watching the man carefully, Andrew thought that John was about to refuse his daughter's wish. But at the last moment, the man relented.

"Fine," John sighed. "If you wish to retire for the night, then I suppose you may be excused. We will discuss this tomorrow."

A look of relief came over Elizabeth's face. "Yes. Thank you Father." She bid everyone good night, making a special point to say goodbye to Micah, then turned and hurried up the stairs.

Seeing this, Andrew exchanged a knowing look with Sarah and she nodded subtly. Andrew both knew that they were thinking of what Sarah had mentioned earlier about Elizabeth and Samuel.

"That did not go very well." Micah sighed, glancing at John knowingly.

John shook his head. "No, it did not." The father then glanced at Sarah questioningly, who tried to appear busy with a sampler. "Sarah, Micah and I have reason to suspect Elizabeth has been secretly meeting with Samuel Carroll, that Loyalist boy. Do you know anything about this?"

Sarah managed to keep her young face uninformative. "Father, Samuel is hardly a boy. He is at least as old as Micah."

John's eyes narrowed and Andrew could see the growing frustration on his face. "That is not what I asked you, Sarah." He said sternly. "I asked you if you knew anything about your sister seeing that meritless Loyalist that came into my store today."

Andrew watched a hesitant look come over the girl's face. Finally she gulped. "I am not quite sure of anything, Father." She said quietly, casting her eyes downward momentarily.

Seeing that he would not be getting anywhere that evening, John sighed. "Sarah," he instructed tiredly. "Why don't you head upstairs and help your younger siblings into bed. It is getting late."

"Yes Father." The girl sounded glad to be excused from the uncomfortable conversation. She began to head for the stairs while James, Benjamin, and Miriam followed her.

"Here, baby, I'll help you." Andrew heard Tess say. He turned to see the angel following Sarah up the stairs.

Andrew somewhat envied the children for getting to escape the company of John. Usually, Andrew found the shopkeeper to be a pleasant man. But ever since the encounter with the young Loyalists earlier that day, John had been in somewhat of a sour mood. He had not taken it out on Andrew even once, yet the angel still felt the tension in the atmosphere.

But in only a few more minutes, after what seemed like an eternity, Micah declared the need to return home. The young man did just that and quite soon after, John decided to go to bed as well.

It had been a hard day for everyone and Andrew couldn't help but be glad that the day had finally come to a close.


	10. Chapter 10

_Welcome to chapter ten. And just so you all know (in case you were curious), this story is pretty lengthy. We're no where near half way through yet. So hang in there and I hope you continue to enjoy it. ;-) _

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Andrew had just entered the barn that night when he heard some rustling in a pile of hay near a widow. Quickly, he turned to see a shocking sight. Sarah was coming out from a hiding spot in the hay. She still wore her dress from earlier and appeared about the same, except now she had a few sticks of straw in her hair.

"Sarah?" Andrew exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought your father sent you to bed?"

"Shhh!" She hissed. "Come look."

Still surprised, yet curious, Andrew followed the girl to the barn window she had been peering out. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness outside, but finally he spotted what looked like two figures standing in a field a few hundred feet from the barn and completely out of sight from the house.

"Who is that?" Andrew whispered down to Sarah, who was watching the figures intently.

She looked up at him in surprise. "Have you not guessed by now?"

He shook his head and chuckled softly. "No, Sarah. I have not. Who are you watching?"

"That is my sister, Elizabeth." The girl explained quietly. "She meets out there with Samuel Carroll nearly every night."

"The Loyalist your father asked you about inside?" Andrew asked, though he already knew it was true.

Sarah nodded silently in reply.

"Yet when your father asked you what you knew about Samuel and your sister, you offered no information at all." Andrew continued, finding his assignment becoming stickier by the minute.

Sarah's face grew serious and she cast her eyes downward, somewhat shamefully. "What can I do, Andrew? Elizabeth has told me about her secret meetings with Samuel and I cannot betray my sister's trust. It would be wrong."

"But is it not just as wrong to lie to your father, as well?" Andrew asked the girl, beginning to feel the angelic confidence he had been longing for.

Sarah looked troubled for a moment. "They are both wrong, Andrew. But what can I do?" She glanced warily out the window. "I feel that I am stuck with no _right_ directions on where to go. My sister talks to me. She tells me things that she tells no one else. And I talk to her, just like we have always done. But some secrets are just so hard to keep." She looked at Andrew seriously. "You know?"

"You love your sister very much, don't you?" Andrew observed. He sat down on a bale of hay.

Sarah nodded. "I do, Andrew. But I am worried about her. And I am worried about my father as well."

"Is this what you were going to tell me earlier before supper?" The angel asked.

"Yes." She said. "I am worried about my father. I am sure you know by now how badly he hates Loyalists and anyone who respects and defends the king."

Andrew nodded. Even in the few short days he had spent with John Chandler, he could tell the man's heart was hard against the king.

"It is very obvious." Andrew agreed quietly.

"Well, he gets so riled up by these political issues. I know that they are important, but I can't help but be afraid that his anger will get him hurt. In the last year since he has stopped selling tea and such in his store, men have come in and taunted him. They have argued with him, but now things are becoming so much more frequent. And my father gets angrier even more so now than ever before." She added. "And that has led to problems for Elizabeth I believe."

"Because of Samuel?" Andrew guessed.

She nodded. "Yes. Samuel is a Loyalist and Father hates him so much. At first it was simply because the young man is a Loyalist and obviously disagrees with my father. But now I think that he is starting to suspect the relationship between him and Elizabeth." The girl's eyes became filled with fear as she turned away from the window to face Andrew. "Andrew, I fear what my father might do if he were to discover how often Elizabeth sees Samuel."

"What do you think he may do, Sarah?" Andrew asked softly. His green eyes were filled with concern as he watched the young girl before him. He thought about what Tess had said earlier that day. She had mentioned how some children carried extra burdens, and now the angel knew that his supervisor had meant Sarah specifically when she said that.

Sarah took a deep breath and looked at Andrew squarely. "I do not want to say." She whispered hoarsely. "I do not want to pass judgment onto my father. It would be wrong, especially to his apprentice. You are supposed to have a respect for my father. I cannot be an influence to that. Mother says so."

Andrew tilted his head slightly. "I understand that Sarah." He told her solemnly. "And that is good of you to respect your father like that. But if you cannot even discuss these fears with your sister, who then will you talk to? Does your mother know of Samuel and Elizabeth?"

Sarah shook her head. "No, she doesn't. Besides, she and father both already think of Micah as their son practically. They are set on a marriage for him and Elizabeth very soon."

Andrew sighed, feeling very bad for the girl. He wanted to help her, but wasn't sure exactly how. Finally he just looked at her purposefully.

"Sarah," He said. "Come here."

Quietly she took a step closer to him until she stood directly in front of where he sat.

"Listen, I know that you and I barely know each other." Andrew began, looking the girl in the eye kindly. "But I do know that for some reason, you seem to trust me quite a bit."

She blushed and shrugged her shoulders. "I am sorry, Andrew," She apologized. "I do not know why I've told you all of this. I'm sorry if it has made you uncomfortable, but I just have to tell someone all of this."

Hearing this, Andrew quickly shook his head which caused his blonde hair to brush against his shoulders. "No, no." He protested. "Do not apologize, Sarah. That's not what I meant. What I was trying to say to you is that I do not know why you trust me. But I do know that you _can_. What you're carrying... all these fears... they're too much for one thirteen year old girl to carry alone."

This caused the girl to look even more distressed. "I have to, Andrew." She told him somewhat desperately. "Because who do I talk to? Obviously not my parents or Elizabeth."

"You can talk to me." Andrew offered quietly. Gently he took the girl's smaller hands into his own and squeezed them with assurance. "And you can _always_ talk to God. He will always listen to you, even if you think no one else will." He paused for a moment, and then continued. "But let's do make one thing clear, alright? I am here and I am your friend, Sarah. I know you are frightened. You have told me so yourself. Now whether you choose to talk about these fears with me is your own choice and decision and I respect that completely. But I will listen if you want me to." He added quietly, his green eyes searching hers intently.

When his gaze met hers, Sarah quickly cast her eyes downward. When she looked back up a few moments later, a pool of tears filled each eye.

"Oh, Andrew..." She began her voice cracking as she spoke. As the tears began to stream down her face, she threw herself into the angel's arms.

"I am so afraid!" She cried as a surprised Andrew hesitantly began rubbing her back soothingly. "I love both my father and my sister so much. I want them both to be happy, but they may never be if they keep on like they're going!"

"Shhh..." Andrew tried to calm the girl. He was surprised by her sudden outburst, yet couldn't help but be glad that she was finally going to open up to him. It made him feel more confident with the case in itself. And not only that, but he was beginning to understand what Tess had meant by saying how rewarding it was to help humans.

"Father hates Loyalists. I am afraid that if Elizabeth runs off and marries Samuel instead of Micah, then my father will do something horrible." Sarah began to explain, tears still slowly trickling down her cheeks. "He may really hurt Samuel, or completely disown Elizabeth. That would be so truly horrible, I cannot even imagine it!"

"Then don't." Andrew said quietly. "Do not imagine those things, Sarah. They are not going to help to make you feel any better – they'll just make you feel more frightened. Instead, why don't you tell me this: Does Elizabeth, in your opinion, love Micah?'

Sarah pulled away from Andrew and wiped a hand across her tear streaked face. "I am not sure." She sniffled. Andrew pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her, which she accepted gratefully. "I think she still does... I know she used to. Elizabeth and Micah used to be so happy together, but then things began to change. I cannot even begin to tell you when or why. They just did. I know she still likes Micah, but lately she seems to be confused; as if maybe she is more interested in Samuel. But if Father ever found out..." She shuddered, thinking of how angry the shopkeeper might become.

Another look of fear suddenly came over the girl's face, and she looked at Andrew earnestly. "You will not speak of tonight to anybody, will you Andrew?" She asked worriedly. "I am not supposed to be out here, you know."

He smiled softly and shook his head. "No. Don't worry, Sarah. I will not say a word. But would you mind if I asked Elizabeth a few questions? I won't say you told me anything."

Sarah shrugged. "I suppose it cannot hurt. She may not listen to you though. "

"True." Andrew agreed. "But you did, didn't you?"

She grinned. "Yes." Then her face grew serious once again. "Thank you, Andrew, for talking to me. I know I worry a lot about these things, but it felt good not to have to keep them all to myself."

"That's the general idea." Andrew replied. "It's not good for anybody to hold things in like that. Trust me, I know. I have a friend who has been teaching me a lot about this sort of thing."

"Your friend must be really smart." Sarah guessed.

Andrew had to smile as he thought of Tess. "Oh, she is." He paused for a moment, and then stood up slowly. "It is really getting late, Sarah." He hinted to the girl.

Sarah sighed. "You think I should go in now, don't you?"

Andrew nodded. "I'm sorry but, yes, I do. Your father sent you upstairs an hour ago." He reminded her. "I think the last thing we want right now is for you or me to get in trouble tonight. He already wasn't too happy in there. I think your father may have the nerve to skin me alive if he found you out here talking with me after he already sent you to your room."

Sarah giggled. "Alright." She turned to go, then stopped and looked back at the angel.

"Andrew..." She began somewhat hesitantly.

"Yes...?" Andrew waited with amusement.

"Would you mind... hugging me goodnight?" She asked quietly, nervously digging her shoe into the hard packed dirt floor.

"Not at all." Andrew smiled. Stepping closer, he wrapped his arms around her. "Good night, Sarah." He whispered.

She hugged him back. "Good night, Andrew. And thank you again."

After that, she left Andrew alone in the barn. Once she was gone, Andrew waited patiently for Elizabeth to come in from the field. And while he waited, he thought about his conversation with Sarah. He had learned some more about his assignment and was beginning to think he could put the puzzle pieces together.


	11. Chapter 11

_This chapter is not entirely long, but I hope you enjoy it. It is pretty informative and things are going to start picking up rather quickly after this._

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

Sarah had gone inside and Andrew was still waiting patiently for Elizabeth to start back for the house. He hoped though that she would not be much longer because he was getting rather tired after the long day. He did not have to wait much longer though.

After a few minutes of silence, Andrew heard some footsteps walking by the barn outside. Aware of whom it was, he quickly got up and walked out the door just in time to catch Elizabeth outside the gate in front of the house.

"Elizabeth." He called out to her quietly.

Startled, she turned and looked at him. Once she realized who it was, she wrinkled her eyebrows together in confusion. "Andrew..." She began. "It is very late. What are you doing?"

"I wanted to speak with you." He said quietly, making his way near her.

"What about?" She asked hesitantly.

"Something that you may think is none of my concern." He started. "It has to do with Micah and Samuel."

She sighed sharply. "I have nothing to say." She announced, turning abruptly away from the angel.

"I just want to ask you a few questions. That's all." Andrew replied sincerely.

"Are you going to tell other people what I may have to say?" She asked suspiciously.

Andrew shook his head. "No, I won't." He stated honestly.

Elizabeth gave a defeated sigh. "Fine. Alright. I will talk with you, but only for a few moments. My father cannot know that I am out here." She motioned to a fallen log around the other side of the house. "Come on. Over there."

Andrew followed the girl over to the fallen tee and sat down beside her on top of it. He waited patiently for her to get settled before asking his first question.

"So you have been seeing Micah for the last two years, is that right?" Andrew began once she they had gotten comfortable.

She nodded slowly. "Yes, I suppose so."

"He seems like a very nice young man." Andrew continued, building up the conversation.

"He is." She sighed dejectedly, resting her chin on her hands. "Father and Mother think very highly of him."

"Do you not care for him, Elizabeth?" The angel ventured further.

She looked at him quizzically. "Of course I care for him, Andrew." She told him. "He is a wonderful young man, full of kindness and generosity..."

"And love?" Andrew finished.

"And love." She agreed quietly. She paused for a moment, and then looked at Andrew thoughtfully. "Have you ever been in love, Andrew?"

He smiled and shook his head. "No, I can't say that I have. Not romantically anyway." He added, thinking of other kinds of love.

"You are fortunate." She sighed. "It is so complicated sometimes to love somebody. Or to be loved by someone else." She looked at him with uncertainty. "How do you choose who to love?"

"Do you have to?" Andrew asked her.

She nodded. "Usually, no. But in this case... yes." She then glanced at him curiously. "Why am I telling you this, Andrew? You are my father's apprentice and this is hardly an appropriate discussion for the two of us to be having. I barely know you."

That's true." Andrew nodded slowly. "But sometimes it is easier to talk to somebody you do not know, rather than someone you have known for a long time. Sometimes you can be more honest that way."

"It does make me feel better to talk about these things." Elizabeth reasoned.

"Then why don't you talk to me? I promise to you that what you wish to stay private will stay that way." He told her. "Sometimes people are more than what they appear to be." He added with a subtle smile.

"I guess you are right." She sighed. Then she looked at Andrew warningly. "But what I say to you must never reach the ears of any of my family. Nor Micah." She told him.

Andrew nodded. "Of course."

"You know, I do love Micah very much." Elisabeth began. "I have always planned on marrying him. Even when I was a little girl." She added wistfully. Then she smiled as the memories replayed in her mind. "I wanted to be 'Mrs. Hambling' and wear fancy gowns and serve tea to other women just like a real gentlewoman."

"That sounds like a wonderful dream." Andrew said softly. "But do you not wish for those things anymore?"

"I do, I do." Elizabeth nodded. "Very much. Except now..." She let her voice trail.

Andrew waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts.

"Now, I am sometimes not sure whether I still want the 'Mrs. Hambling' part." She confessed. She looked at Andrew with confusion in her eyes. "Sometimes I think that instead, I may want to be..."

"Mrs. Carroll?" Andrew guessed softly.

She nodded. "I love Micah, Andrew. But I love Samuel as well. Yet he is a Loyalist and my father hates him so much. He has even forbidden me to speak with him."

"Yet you do anyway?" Andrew pointed out. "Every evening."

"How do you know that?" She asked curiously.

"I saw you in the field with him." Andrew told her.

"Oh." She nodded understandingly. "I suppose you did. We have been meeting out there for quite a while – nearly a year perhaps. My father does not know. If he did..." She shuddered, just as her younger sister had, at the thought.

"Love should not have to be kept a secret." The angel reasoned. "You should not be ashamed."

"I am not ashamed." Elizabeth replied surely. "Only frightened. What do I do? I am unsure and not ready to commit myself to anyone just yet. Yet I know that anytime now, Micah will ask me for my hand in marriage. But what can I say? That I am in love with a Loyalist? It would break his heart."

"And your father?" Andrew asked.

She shook his head. "Not nearly so much as it would anger him for his daughter to marry a Loyalist. He is very set in his ways, Andrew, I am sure you have noticed by now."

Andrew nodded. "Yet he is a very kind man as well." He pointed out.

"He is." She agreed. "I have always thought my father was the best a child could ask for. But now I am no longer a child. I still love my father very much and would never wish to dishonor him."

"I think you should discuss this with him. And with Micah." Andrew suggested. "Perhaps even together with Samuel."

Elizabeth looked horrified. "Andrew, I could never do that! Besides, what would I say to them?"

"I think you should tell all of them what you told me." Andrew said calmly. "If they really love you, then they will understand. There may be some hurt feelings on all parts, but it needs to be said."

She shook her head. "I can't, Andrew. My father would be so angry to hear me say that I am considering marrying a Loyalist."

"Shall I speak with him for you?" Andrew offered.

"No, I could never ask that of you, Andrew." Elizabeth said. She stood up from the log and began to brush off the back of her dress. "Besides, my father would never listen to you about such things. Do not take this personally, but you are his apprentice." She stated simply. "You are supposed to be learning from him. Not the other way around. So I am not entirely sure it would be a good idea for you to bring up such topics."

"Are you sure?" Andrew asked, standing up as well. "You never know; he may very well listen. I could at least give it a try."

She shook her head. "No, Andrew, I am sorry. But I cannot allow you to do that. Now please; do not say anything to him or anybody else for that matter."

Andrew sighed reluctantly. "Fine. I won't. But if you change your mind..."

She smiled thankfully. "Then I will let you know."

"That is all I ask." Andrew stated.

"Well, I need to be getting inside." She said, glancing towards the house. "Thank you, Andrew, for speaking with me. I do appreciate it."

"You are more than welcome." Andrew told her. "Anytime. Shall I walk you to the door?" He asked her, nodding towards the house.

She shook her head. "That shan't be necessary, but thank you just the same." She began to head for the house. "Good night, Andrew."

"Good night." He called to her quietly. He watched her slip silently into the house, then felt a presence behind him. He turned to find Tess behind him with a proud smile on her face.

"Well done, Angel Boy." She praised him.

"How long have you been here?" Andrew asked her.

"Long enough." She smiled. "You are doing very well, Andrew. You have managed to get both of those young ladies to connect with you."

"I tried to get Elizabeth to tell her father and Micah how she feels, but she refuses." Andrew told Tess. "It is always better to be honest about your feelings."

"Oh really?" Tess asked amused. "Since when did you come across this new piece of wisdom?"

Andrew blushed. "Aw, come on, Tess." He said sheepishly. "I've known that. But I never said it was easy to do though."

She nodded. "So now you understand how Elizabeth feels. She knows that she needs to say what she is feeling, but she is afraid to do it. I happen to know a few young angels who can be like that, as a matter of fact." She said pointedly, then continued. "She loves three different men, Andrew. Yet she is afraid of hurting all of them."

"John, Micah, and Samuel." Andrew presumed softly.

Tess nodded. "That's right. Human love is a complicated thing, baby. Sometimes it's hard even for angels to help understand."

"Tell me about it." Andrew smiled. "But, you know, I think I may finally be starting to get the hang of this caseworker thing."

"Perhaps." Tess nodded. "But just be careful to watch your pride, Angel Boy. It can lead you into trouble if you're not careful. You have a lot to learn yet. I want you to be confident, but don't go getting too big for your breeches. Your assignment is nowhere near over yet."

"I know, Tess." Andrew said. "I know."

Tess then told Andrew that it was late and that he should be getting to bed. The two then bid one another good night and went their separate ways. One angel to the house and another to the barn.


	12. Chapter 12

_Happy Valentine's Day, everybody! If you're celebrating, I hope you have a good one! I did have some help with some of the tavern conversations though. _

_Now, there happens to be a Valentine's Day story that I've been waiting for in my Inbox... so I'm gonna go read that now... ;-)_

_Enough with my mindless chatter; on with Chapter 12! _

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

The next afternoon found Andrew and John once again in the store. Andrew had been busy all morning helping customers up front and stocking shelves in the pantry. He had found that John seemed to be in a pleasant mood, despite his disposition the evening before. The whole morning found Andrew desperately wishing that he could talk to John about Elizabeth and what she had told him the evening before. But he remembered his promise to both of the shopkeeper's daughters and remained silent.

It was not easy though. He tried to keep his mind off it, but that was hard to do when he knew that the whole reason he was there in the first place was to get a daughter of a Patriot to marry a Loyalist.

Hours into the day, after they had taken a break for dinner, four men came into the store. Two were middle-aged men that Andrew did not recognize, and the other two the angel recognized as young Loyalists from the day before. And just as the day before, none of the four in the group appeared happy or friendly. They wore scowls on their faces and Andrew was pretty sure that they were up to no good.

As they approached the counter, Andrew looked around the otherwise empty store to find that John was most likely in the back. With a nervous gulp, he turned to face the men.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" He asked them calmly, though that was not quite what he was feeling inside.

"Well, I am not sure about that." One of the older men said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Tell me, young lad; are you John Chandler's new apprentice?"

Andrew nodded. "Yes sir, I am. My name is Andrew."

"I'm Lars Hilbert." The man replied gruffly. He gestured to his three followers. "These are my men. We have come for some tea."

Andrew looked at them in surprise. "Oh, well I am sorry, sir, but Mr. Chandler does not sell tea in his store."

"Is that so?" Lars asked, glaring at Andrew, who stood behind the counter.

Andrew nodded slowly. "Yes sir. It's the tax, I am sure you understand."

"Oh, I understand alright." Lars grumbled menacingly. "It's the approval I do not give. Get him." He told his silent followers and nodded towards Andrew.

Immediately, the two younger men from the day before jumped over the counter and seized Andrew firmly between themselves. It happened so fast, Andrew never saw it coming. He did not say anything though, for he could see a knife gleaming in the fourth man's hands.

"Now, I am going to give you a message." Lars hissed threateningly. He leaned across the counter and up close to Andrew's bewildered face. "You can tell Mr. Chandler this for me. Tell him that Lars Hilbert expects to find him selling tea in this store in two days. Or someone will have to pay."

"It may just be you." The fourth man with the knife sneered.

"Are you going to give him that message?" Lars more of demanded the angel.

But before Andrew could answer, a voice came from the door to the back of the store. "That will not be necessary."

All five heads turned to find John standing firmly in the door behind them, an angry expression written on his face.

"Let the lad go." John ordered stepping up to the counter. "Now!"

The young men glanced at their leader and when Lars nodded reluctantly, they released their hold on the angel.

"I mean it, John," Lars stepped forward angrily. "Stop this rebellion, or someone is going to pay."

"Plenty of men have already 'paid' and I will do no such thing." John shook his head firmly. "You cannot come into my store, Lars Hilbert, and threaten my help and me."

"What do you think I am doing then?" Lars sneered angrily.

"Leaving." The shopkeeper implied strongly.

"You are right, we are." Lars gave in. "But I meant what I said. We will be back in two days. Have you not any tea on this shelf, then we will make you see things our way. And we mean _that_!"

And with those angry words, the four men left the store in a huff.

Once the men were gone, John turned to Andrew. "Are you alright, lad?"

Andrew nodded. He rubbed his arm where they had gripped him and still wore a rather shocked expression. It wasn't so much that he had been afraid as surprised. "Yes sir, Mr. Chandler. I will be fine. Who were they though?"

A cloudy look came into the shopkeeper's eyes. "Loyalists." He replied simply. "Though Lars Hilbert happens to be set on making me hate him worse than the king himself."

"Are you going to be selling tea in your store?" Andrew asked curiously.

John snapped his head in Andrew's direction. "Why, of course not!" He exclaimed with surprise. "Their threats do not frighten me."

"Not at all?" Andrew asked, with just as much surprise in his own voice.

John shrugged. "I have heard them before. They are getting worse as of lately, but I will not back down. Not now." He added.

"What then are you going to do?" The angel asked, amazed by the man's courage.

John shook his head with a sigh. "For starters, I plan on visiting the tavern tonight to talk with Charles Knoll. I am sure that there is news by now of what happened in Concord, and I want to hear about it."

"So your wife is returning tonight then?" Andrew checked.

John nodded. "Yes. She will be returning this afternoon. Ms. Steinbeck is apparently doing a bit better. Enough that Mary feels comfortable in returning home." The man paused for a moment, then handed Andrew a broom. "Here, sweep the floor, lad. It will take your mind off of such problems."

Though Andrew wasn't quite sure he could take his mind off the "problems", he took the broom and did as he was told otherwise. But his mind did not leave the problems at hand. Nor his current assignment.

He was pretty sure that he had figured out exactly what he was supposed to do. He was going to have to find a way for Elizabeth to marry Samuel, if that is what she wished. But one thing, or person in this case, stood in the way. John would never hear of the idea. He would never accept it, never allow it at all. He would never even consider it. Andrew was well aware of this and that is what continued to occupy his mind for most of the day.

* * *

By the time they closed the shop late that afternoon, Andrew could clearly see that John was eager to get to the tavern and find out the latest news. It did not take them long at all to get there from the store – perhaps only a quick five minute walk. 

By the time they arrived, the wind had begun to pick up and dark clouds were beginning to form above. It was obvious that the weather would be chillier that night than usual and that a strong storm was on its way.

John and Andrew walked into the tavern and were greeted with a welcoming sight: on one end of the room a blaze roared in its place, prepared for a chilly night; in the middle there was one large common table where most of the men sat; there were separate, smaller tables around the sides of the room; and on the left side was the bar with stools in front. The layout was plain and the furniture was rustic, but it looked and felt homey. A man in his early fifties, who Andrew guessed to be Charles Knoll, could be seen bustling about with cups and plates, putting in a word or two into various conversations while making his rounds. He was trying to look jolly, as an innkeeper should, but Andrew could tell that something was troubling him.

But when Charles saw the shopkeeper standing in the doorway, he made his way across the room.

"John! Good to see you!" The man smiled and shook hands warmly with his patron and friend. "And who is this?" He asked, indicating Andrew who was standing by quietly.

"This is Andrew. He is my new apprentice." John patted Andrew on the shoulder. "He just came into town yesterday."

Charles shook the angel's hand as well, and Andrew couldn't help but notice what a strong grip the man had.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Charles Knoll." The innkeeper smiled.

"Besides running the tavern and inn, Charles is an officer in the Lattinburg Militia and a fine Patriot." John informed Andrew proudly.

Hearing this, the innkeeper's face darkened a little.

"Is something troubling you, Charles?" John asked him.

Charles shook his head. "So, what will it be?" He asked, ignoring the question.

This confused Andrew; he thought John came to the tavern fairly often and talked with this man about news and such. But now he was acting aloofly distant. The novice caseworker couldn't help but find this a bit strange.

But John just ignored the innkeeper's sudden mood change. "Well, I'll take bread, cheese, and a few chicken legs." He turned to Andrew. "Andrew, what would you like?"

The angel looked thankfully at the shopkeeper and said, "I'll just have whatever you are having, Mr. Chandler."

Charles put a smile on his face. "Well then, that makes things simple. All right, you both have a seat and I'll bring it out to you."

John usually would have sat at the common table, but as he wanted news and not interruption, he chose the bar. Andrew followed suit and had a seat beside him. A few minutes later the host arrived with their food and two cups of drink.

"What is it?" Andrew asked, lifting his cup and examining the liquid inside.

"It's tea." John said simply and Charles nodded. "Do you not care for tea?"

Andrew was surprised. "No, that is not it. I just thought you didn't drink tea because you are a Patriot."

"Well, nearly. I don't drink _English_ tea." John leaned in close and offered a sly wink while Charles nodded in agreement. "This is Dutch tea that was smuggled into port. Most tea _is_ English, but we still have a few pipelines."

That made sense, Andrew supposed. They could dodge the taxes and drink the smuggled tea instead.

John and Andrew were famished after such a day at the store, so they didn't speak much while they ate. The food was delicious and Andrew found the tavern atmosphere fascinating with all the hustle and bustle from people around them.

After the two had finished eating, John got the barkeeper's attention. "Brandy, please Charles. Andrew?"

Andrew had heard a little about brandy before, though he was not quite sure what it was or how it even tasted. He decided that it couldn't hurt to try some and besides; if John was getting it then it must be alright. With this reasoning, he nodded.

"Excellent!" The shopkeeper called out again. "Make that two brandies."

The drinks arrived a moment later. Andrew examined his for a brief moment, then took a mouthful and swallowed. It tasted very fruity. Finding he liked it, he soon drained his cup and after a few minutes asked for another. John looked at him with his mouth slightly open, then caught himself and closed it.

"Charles, do you have any news about Concord?" John then asked the innkeeper quietly.

Charles cast an uncertain look at Andrew. John caught it. "It is alright. Andrew is a fine young man. Any word you have is safe with him, I am sure."

Somewhat put at ease, the innkeeper began. "Several days ago, William Dawes stopped here for a fresh horse. He and Paul Revere were spreading the word that the British were marching on Concord to destroy one of our supply depots."

"What kind of supplies were there?" John interrupted hungry for information.

As Andrew listened silently, he began to feel restless and started bobbing his leg and tapping his fingers against the bar. Whatever this brandy was, he decided that he really liked it. He hoped it was had where his future assignments would be at.

"There were strategic supplies, like muskets and shot and other armaments. Anyway," Charles continued. "William had to stop for a few minutes because he was exhausted, and he told me about this upcoming attack. He also told me that Paul had been captured by a redcoat patrol earlier in the night. William barely made it through."

Andrew was trying to pay attention, but he was becoming easily distracted and his eyes kept darting around the room. He leaned back and looked left and right, then leaned up and finished his second brandy. He motioned for another and Charles refilled it without even thinking; he was too busy telling the story to his good friend the shopkeeper.

"I later learned that he got through to Concord and warned them." Charles continued quietly. "They started moving the supplies into hiding elsewhere. There was no way they could finish in time. The Lexington militia was warned and they mustered to try and stop the lobsters. They got to the road just as the first of the _king's_ troops came into view. The English commander, General Gage, told the militia commander, Captain Parker, to make way and let them pass. He refused and both sides lined up. After a while of nothing, a single shot rang out. Yet, no one seems to know who fired it." He said with a shrug.

When he said this, Andrew's head jerked around. Feeling extremely restless for some reason, he suddenly hopped off of his stool. Having never been to such a place before and feeling the need to stretch his legs, he leaned over to whisper into the shopkeeper's ear.

"Mr. Chandler, I think that I will walk around for a bit, if you don't mind." He began.

John nodded. "Of course, lad. Please do not leave the tavern though, for I will need to fetch you quickly when we return home. From the sounds of it," He observed as more thunder rumbled loudly outside, "if we are not careful we will be caught in a downpour."

Andrew nodded in agreement. As the sound of even more thunder rumbled closer in the distance, he then began to wander off slowly, enjoying the sights and smells of the bustling tavern.


	13. Chapter 13

_Surprise! Yes, a Saturday update. And if this surprise gave you a heart attack, please don't sue me. I'm a very poor college student, so you'd get about diddly-squat anyway. But on a more serious note, you can expect that I may be updating on Saturdays more often, for the sake of **not** dragging things out. Not every Saturday, but definitely on some._

_Again, I did not write this tavern scene entirely by myself. I was aided by a friend of mine. So thanks to this person for much of the conversation concerning the latest events on war. Without the help, it would have probably ended up consisting of something kinda like this:_

_**John:**"What happened out in them there woods, Charlie?"  
**Charles:**"T'was gun shots, Sir John. Many, many gunshots... And lotsa dudes in red jackets. Lotsa dudes in boring regular clothes too. They all lined up kinda funny and shot at each other for target practice. Then lots of 'em fell over."  
**John:** "Ouch. Did they get back up?"  
**Charles:**"No way, man. Them dudes are dead goners. 'Sides, them guys in the groovy red jackets have way cooler guns."_

_Aren't you all glad I had help? ;-) Anyway, enough of that._

_Onward!_

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

Meanwhile back at the bar, Charles was continuing his narrative after watching Andrew wander aimlessly for a moment. "Are you sure he will be alright? He downed three brandies mighty quick."

"Oh, he will be fine." John said absentmindedly. He was thinking about this latest news. "Three never hurt a man."

Charles just shrugged. "Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. No one seems to know who fired that first shot or from what side it came from. But after that, it broke out into a full firefight. The militia suffered many wounded and several dead. They…"

"What, what?" John asked, a horrified expression clearly written across his face.

The innkeeper grimaced. "They were forced to surrender." Charles said these words as if they had been dragged out of him by a horse.

As the men talked of the latest news, Andrew observed the happenings in the tavern. Many men sat about drinking, eating and laughing with one another. They appeared to come from all walks of life whether it was rich or poor. There were very few women in the place at all, except for the few that walked about serving drinks to customers. But seeing how they were dressed made Andrew blush and turn away, for he knew what Tess would have to say about their clothing.

Why was he feeling so restless? He didn't usually feel that way. But now he just couldn't sit still; he felt compelled to move about and do something, but he wasn't even sure what exactly. He was also beginning to feel a slight buzz in his head like he had never felt before and he shook his head slightly to try and rid himself of it. It didn't work though. The strange buzz was still there.

He continued to stand there for a few moments longer, observing the people around him. Suddenly he thought he heard somebody behind him and feeling as jumpy as he was, he quickly turned around only to bump into a man behind him. The man held a drink in his hands and did not appear too happy that part of it was now on Andrew's shirt.

"Watch it!" The man told him gruffly. "You're lucky I don't make you pay for a new one."

"I'm sorry, sir." Andrew said slowly, barely even noticing where the man's drink had splashed onto him.

The man just snorted. "You'd better watch your drinks, son." Shaking his head, the man then walked away, heading towards the bar.

As Andrew stood and watched the man go, all the while he was finding it harder to organize his thoughts. His mind was beginning to feel fuzzy. What had the man said... ... to watch his drinks? Why would he say that? Andrew shook his head in confusion, only to feel a slight pounding as a result.

He laid his hand against his forehead and winced. What was wrong with him? Never had he felt this way before. It was definitely a strange feeling. He briefly considering going back over to sit at the bar, but then decided against it. He didn't want to interrupt John and Charles' conversation. They both seemed to find it extremely important. So instead, the angel opted for an empty table across the room.

He slowly began making his way over there and tried to focus his mind on his assignment, as he had earlier. But he began to find that harder and harder to do though, as his thoughts increasingly became jumbled and confused.

Finally he reached the table and let himself drop down onto a chair. He noticed that his stomach was beginning to feel rather strange; not really like it did when he was hungry. It was something different that he hadn't felt before. Whatever it was, he didn't like it and wished it would go away.

He was beginning to wish that he could leave the building. That maybe, if he just left this tavern, he could leave these strange feelings his body was having behind as well. But somehow he knew that wouldn't really help and he didn't even bother to get up.

What had happened to make him feel so badly? It hadn't been so bad at first. He had felt fine when he first got there, fine as he ate his supper, fine as he drank those... what were they..? Oh yes, brandies. He had felt fine then too. Sure, he had started to become restless, but that was alright. What was it that had made him begin to feel so sick so suddenly?

He twisted around in his chair to see if John and Charles were still talking. They were, he noticed. He knew it was rude, but he was really beginning to wish they'd hurry up. He was ready to go home and lay down. At that moment, the room slowly started to appear like it was in motion and Andrew began to feel dizzy, which did not help to aid his stomach at all. So with a heavy sigh he closed his eyes wearily, propped his elbows up on the table, and rested his tired head into his hands.

Back at the bar, the two men were so involved in their conversation that they didn't see any of this happening.

"Surrender?" said John checked again.

"Yes." Charles laughed bitterly. "Our first engagement and they beat us soundly."

Just then, a man burst through the doors of the tavern. He looked exhausted as he quickly made his way to the bar where Charles and John sat talking.

"Water." The man gasped tiredly.

"William? William! Any news? What is happening?" Charles asked as he quickly brought the water.

The man, William, slurped the refreshing liquid down with four long gulps. He sat the cup down and actually smiled. "Oh, do I have news! The lobsters were held up by the militia long enough for most of our supplies to be moved out of Concord. And that's not all." He added. "A few of our snipers started picking them off on their way back to Boston. More are joining in. It seems that the redcoats are _too_ well trained. They do straight lines and structured firing and bayoneted charges. They do nothing about single snipers or guerrillas. The word is going out across the colony and beyond: every able-bodied volunteer shooter come and help us. So far, they've lost three times the amount we lost from Lexington."

With these words, John and Charles exchanged a look and grinned.

"Come on, stay awhile and rest up. On the house." Charles announced happily.

William shook his head. "No, I am afraid I can't. I have to spread the word. But thank you just the same, Charles." With that, he shakily stood up and walked out the door.

When William was gone, John stood up from the bar contentedly. "Finally, some good news! Wait until I tell Mary about this! Thank you Charles, but I think I need to head on home now. I will talk to you later."

Charles shook the shopkeeper's hand. "It was good to see you, John. You know you are welcome any time."

"Thank you, Charles. I appreciate that." John looked about curiously. "Now where did Andrew run off to?"

Charles pointed to a table in a corner with one man slouched at it. "Is that not him, John?" The innkeeper asked with a concerned expression on his face. "He does not look very well, in my opinion."

"I best check on him." John nodded. He began to make his way across the room where his apprentice sat quietly at the table, his blonde head propped wearily in his hands.

John laid his hand on the angel's shoulder. "Andrew, are feeling alright? Pardon me for saying so, but you do not look very well."

Andrew shrugged and looked up at the man, his green eyes weary. "I will be fine, sir." He replied quietly. "Are you ready to return home?"

John nodded, still concerned for his apprentice. "Yes, I am. It is getting rather late and the storm sounds very close now. I would like to get home before the it arrives. If we hurry we can make it." He watched as Andrew groaned softly and slowly pushed himself out of his chair. "Can you stand, lad?" He asked him, laying a steady hand on the angel's arm.

Andrew nodded, but when he felt a rush of queasiness in his stomach, he winced. The feeling passed as quickly as it had come and he let out a shuddering breath.

Helping the angel to stand the rest of the way up, John looked at him squarely. "How many brandies did you have, Andrew? Was it not just the three?"

Andrew nodded. "It was just three." He groaned softly, not quite understanding the reason for the question.

"Three is hardly enough for you to feel ill over." John commented. "I think we should get you home; perhaps get the doctor to take a look at you."

John kept a steady hand on Andrew as they made their way back up to the bar. Charles saw them coming slowly and wrinkled his bushy eyebrows.

"Are you ill, lad?" Charles asked Andrew, who was barely standing and had an unpleasant expression on his face.

Andrew didn't answer, so John spoke instead. "I think he must be. Charles, our brandies were poured from the same bottle, were they not?"

The innkeeper nodded. "Yes. I just opened it." He looked at the angel curiously. "He did have three." He pointed out.

"Have you ever seen a man get this ill after three brandies?" John asked, shifting his weight to support Andrew better. By this point the angel was beginning to appear only semiconscious.

Charles shook his head. "No, I cannot say that I have. But I would not say that it is impossible. He may have a very low tolerance for alcohol."

John looked doubtful. "This low?"

The innkeeper shrugged. "Listen, why don't you get him back to your place? I'll send word for the doctor to check in on him if it will put you more at ease."

John nodded and turned towards the door. "That sounds fine, Charles. We will be waiting for him. Come on, Andrew." He aroused the angel. "Let's get you home, shall we?"

The two left the tavern, John helping Andrew along as they walked. By this point, it was dark outside and John could hear the thunderstorm rapidly approaching.

Andrew said nothing as they slowly made their way home. He felt too terrible to say anything, except for a quiet groan every now and then. He relied on the shopkeeper's guidance, for whenever he opened his eyes, the scenery began to swirl around him; which caused his nausea and headache to worsen. It had not occurred to him yet to wonder anymore about what had happened to make him feel so terrible or what Tess might say upon his return. All he could focus on was trying to get back to the barn so he could lie down.

Meanwhile John contemplated in astonishment how on earth his apprentice could have taken so sick so quickly. He knew for a fact that the apprentice had had only three brandies. True, it was quite a few, but it was nowhere near enough to make a full grown man so ill so very quickly; he should have built up a strong tolerance for alcohol by his age. He was glad that Charles had offered to send for the doctor, for even though he knew that it may not be anything serious, it would still be good to have Andrew looked at.

The normal ten to fifteen minute walk was taking longer than usual, for Andrew could not move very fast. He was awake, but his head was buzzing and he felt disoriented. And just when neither shopkeeper or angel thought things could get any worse, the clouds finally broke and rain immediately came rushing down in bucketfuls.

John yelped in surprise when he felt the cold rain on his face and he began to quicken his pace. It would not do for the already sick apprentice to be caught in a storm on such an unusually chilly night. That could only make things worse.

As lightning and thunder crashed overhead, the shopkeeper helped Andrew along as fast they could possibly go. But despite this, by the time they reached the Chandler home, both of them were already soaked to the skin.

When they reached the front door of the house, John kept one hand steadying Andrew and with the other he pushed the front door open and helped the angel inside.

"Mary!" He called out for assistance. "Tess!"

Immediately following the call, both Tess and Mary hurried into the foyer where John and Andrew stood soaked and dripping with water.

"John!" Mary exclaimed, noticing the large puddle forming on the floor. "Did you get caught in the storm? You look as if you fell into the lake!"

John shook his head. "Yes, but never mind that." He gestured to Andrew, who looked like he was about to collapse with exhaustion and nausea at any given moment. "The lad strangely seems to have come down with something while I was visiting with Charles down at the tavern. I do not know what it is, but Dr. Stewart will be here soon to have a look at him."

"Oh, you poor dear." Mary said, taking a good look at Andrew. She then turned to Tess. "Tess, would you please assist John in getting Andrew upstairs? We can move Miriam into the older girls' room tonight and Andrew can have her bed and room for the night."

Andrew heard this and tried to protest, but his efforts were weak and useless as Mary silenced him.

"No, Andrew." She said firmly. "There is no way I am sending you out into that barn in your condition. You will stay in the house tonight." Then turning towards the kitchen, she went to go boil some water.

Once Mary was gone, Tess began to assist John in helping Andrew up the stairs. The supervising angel did not say anything out loud, but her mind was racing. What on earth had this one gotten himself into now? She would have asked him, but she could clearly see that Andrew was in no state for questions yet.

When they reached the top of the stairs they led Andrew into Miriam's bedroom. The little girl had not yet gone to bed, so the room was empty. In one corner sat a quilt covered bed and in another a dresser and rocking chair. Beside the bed sat a small table with a lantern on it.

Once in the bedroom, John looked behind him and saw the large trails and puddles of water he and Andrew had left behind on the way up the stairs. He looked down at his own dripping clothes, then back up at Tess as thunder rumbled loudly outside.

"Tess," He asked her. "Do you think you would mind perhaps taking it from here for a few minutes? I really should get changed out of these wet clothes and help get that floor cleaned up before someone slips."

Tess shook her head. "No sir. You go right ahead and change out of those wet clothes before you get sick too. We will be just fine up here." Referring to Andrew, who appeared half asleep while standing up. The truth was she wanted to have a few words alone with Andrew, even if he wasn't saying much in return.

"Thank you, Tess." John smiled kindly at her. "You are an angel. Mary or I will be back up just as soon as we can. So just stay with Andrew please. He does not look so good."

Tess nodded and when the man left, she turned to Andrew. With a face of sternness and concern both, she asked him. "What on earth happened to you, baby? You were absolutely fine when I saw you this morning."

Andrew heard Tess addressing him and found her voice comforting. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes a little more, wincing at the pounding inside his head. "I... I don't know, Tess." He replied tiredly as he tried to focus as the room spun. "But I feel terrible."

She sighed and shook her head. "That is obvious. You're sick, Andrew." She explained to him. She pushed a dripping strand of hair out of his face. "You have never been in human form long enough for this before, so it is going to be a new experience for you. But what I want to know is _how_? You were perfectly fine until you reached the tavern." Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Angel Boy, what did you have to drink there?"

Andrew shrugged and tried to remember, but his head hurt and his memory was groggy. "I... I cannot remember, Tess." He told her weakly. "I just can't."

She shook her head. "I do not like where this is going. Not at all. Now come on, let's get you into some dry clothes and into bed before you catch something worse."

With those words, Tess found him a clean nightshirt and then pulled back the quilts on the nicely made bed and helped him into it. Once Andrew was laying down, his head resting on the soft pillows, the older angel pulled the quilts up and tucked him in.

"Now," She said softly, pulling the rocking chair next to the bed and sitting down in it. "How are you feeling, baby?"

Andrew mumbled something in reply, but at that moment another clatter of thunder rattled the house and she could not make out what it was he said. His eyes were closed like he was trying to sleep, but Tess could tell that he couldn't quite make it there.

With a sigh, she looked up to the Heavens. "Father," She whispered. "What has this angel boy gotten himself into?"

The angel was suddenly brought out of her prayers by Andrew's voice in the bed. "Tess," he mumbled weakly. He brought his hands out from underneath the blanket and laid them on his stomach. "I feel so queasy."

"I know, baby, I know." Tess told him. She pushed another wet piece of hair off of his forehead. "It's a part of being sick, none of it is good. I've been there before myself a few times before."

There were suddenly footsteps in the doorway behind them. "How is he?" John's voice asked.

Tess turned around in her chair to see the shopkeeper standing there. He now wore a dry pair of breeches and a clean shirt, yet still the same concerned expression on his face that had been there when he first arrived back from the tavern.

Tess shrugged. "From what I can gather, his head hurts and he is feeling queasy. He was cold, but we got him out of those wet clothes and into something dry so he should be warming up rather soon. You have no idea what happened?" She checked, somewhat suspiciously. Not knowing was really beginning to bother the angel, seeing how she was supposed to be Andrew's supervisor.

This time he shrugged and took a few more steps into the room. "No, I do not. He honestly seemed fine, but by the time we were ready to leave he was starting to look like this." He nodded toward Andrew who, though was not completely asleep, was resting in bed with his eyes shut.

Tess was just about to ask the man another question when there was a sharp knock on the front door downstairs.

John raised his eyebrows and turned to leave the room. "That is probably the doctor. I will be right back." He then turned and headed back down the stairs.

Tess sighed as she watched the man go, then with a glance at Andrew she shook her head tiredly. She should have known this assignment wouldn't be easy. And she was pretty sure it was going to be a long night.


	14. Chapter 14

_Hello people, I just want to say thanks for all the amazing reviews I got on Saturday. You guys so rock. I'd give you some cookies, 'cept you wouldn't want any I'd manage to make. ;-)_

_Oh; and one of you__ (you know who you are!)__ know me too well, I have decided. There is no surprising you, I guess... Well, unless I work harder... ;-)_

_Okay, enough of this. Thanks again and enjoy this next chapter!_

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**Chapter Fourteen**

Once John had gone down the stairs, Tess turned to Andrew and looked at him meaningfully. "Did you hear that, Andrew? There is a doctor coming up here. Now I want you to cooperate and answer his questions, but do not under any circumstances say that you are an angel. Do you understand me?"

Andrew nodded silently. The motion made his head throb more though and he whimpered in pain, laying his hand on his forehead.

Tess sighed. She wanted to help him, but she did not know what she could do. She was an angel, but she could not heal. Only God could do that, and He didn't seem to be making any obvious efforts yet.

Again, there were loud footsteps on the stairs and voices could be heard accompanying them.

Soon John reappeared in the doorway of the bedroom and behind him a tall thin man with silver hair. John stepped aside to let the other man enter the room.

"Andrew," The shopkeeper addressed the blonde angel, who had opened his eyes when the newcomers arrived. "This is Dr. Stewart. I asked him to come out here and check on you, after you became ill so quickly."

"Hello Andrew." The doctor smiled kindly at Andrew. "I hear that you have been ill this evening. Do you know why?"

Andrew shook his head silently and winced at the pain it caused. The doctor caught onto this and nodded understandingly. "Well, why don't we try and find out, shall we?"

He took a step closer to the bed and Tess reluctantly got up from her chair and stepped away. She got the feeling that she was not needed at the moment and that the doctor had things somewhat under control. So she excused herself for a few moments, quietly claiming the need to find something to mop up the puddles of water in the room.

"When did you first start feeling bad, son?" Dr. Stewart asked, as Tess left and he pushed aside the rocking chair from the head of the bed.

"At the tavern." Andrew mumbled quietly. He was finding it harder to talk. His head was hurting and whenever he kept his eyes open, the room would begin to swim, which caused the nausea in his stomach to worsen.

The doctor then laid a hand on Andrew's damp forehead to check for fever. Finding no signs, he shook his head. "I see. Andrew, what did you have to drink?"

Andrew just shrugged silently. He couldn't remember. The memories were all growing a little foggy. He was slightly aware that Tess had now returned to the room and was mopping up the floor though, so that did make him feel a little better.

From a corner, Tess watched the doctor question Andrew. She shook her head silently and hoped that the man could somehow get to the bottom of whatever was making her protégé feel so bad. She hated to see anyone so sick; especially one she cared for so much. She did not know what was causing him to feel so sick either, but she knew it had to be worse for him than it might usually be. The angel had never been sick before, so it all made it even harder for him than it might someone else. But she also knew that God could work everything out and if He was allowing the angel to get so sick, some good must come out of it eventually.

When Andrew could not remember what he had to drink, the doctor turned to John who stood behind him. "John, do you remember what he had to drink?"

"Yes, of course." John nodded. "We both had some tea and later some brandy."

Hearing this, it was all Tess could do to keep her shock hidden. Brandy? The angel had gotten himself into alcoholic drinks? Wait until she could get some alone time with him. He was going to hear it!

Dr. Stewart glanced down at Andrew, who had once again resorted to closed eyes, then back at John. "Brandy, huh? How many? From the same bottle?"

John nodded. "Yes. That is just it. I though it _must_ be the brandy as well. But we had the same drink poured from the very same bottle and I feel absolutely fine. He had close to three, but that is nowhere near enough to make the lad so sick so suddenly. Is it?"

The doctor shook his head. "Not normally, John. Not for a man his age." He turned back to Andrew then. "Andrew, I can see that you that obviously have a headache. How is your stomach feeling?"

Andrew just groaned in reply. The truth was, he felt terrible – like he had never felt before. His stomach was churning and the supper he had eaten earlier threatened to soon present itself once again.

Dr. Stewart saw the unpleasant expression come over the angel's face and he nodded with empathy. "I see." He reached down and pulled the quilts down a bit from Andrew's shoulders, then the doctor took his hands and gently pressed them against the angel's abdomen. "Just what I thought. There is definitely some activity going on in there." He muttered softly, covering Andrew back up.

With a sigh, he turned to the anxious shopkeeper. "John, you know that I cannot be certain, as my knowledge is limited, but Andrew is showing some classic signs of alcohol intolerance."

John looked dumbfounded. "What? But how can that be, doctor? That would have to be unbelievably intolerant to get so ill so fast."

The doctor nodded in agreement. "I agree, but that is the only conclusion I can come up with. Though I have never seen such a low tolerance in a man this age." He turned to Andrew. "Son, please tell me that you have had a brandy before."

When Andrew shook his head and mumbled 'no', a nearly shocked look came over both John and Dr. Stewart's faces.

"Well, that must be it then." The doctor shrugged in conclusion. "It has to be the alcohol that affected him. I suggest you stay away from alcoholic drinks for a while." He informed Andrew. "Your body apparently does not handle them well at all, as strange as that is."

He then turned to John and Tess. "I cannot tell you much to do for him, except maybe keep an eye on him tonight. He is bound to be sick all through it and that is really all I can say. I am not really sure what you can expect otherwise; this whole thing is strange enough as it is."

John nodded. "Thank you anyway, doctor, for stopping by. I know the weather is terrible out there."

Dr. Stewart shrugged. "Yes, well, I just wish I could help you more. But I do think he will be fine by tomorrow afternoon."

"You put my mind at ease." John told him gratefully. "That is a help already."

Then, after bidding Andrew good bye, the doctor followed John out of the room and down the stairs. Once he was gone, Tess turned to Andrew with a stern look.

"Angel Boy, what do you think you were doing? You know better than to drink those things. And did he say_ three_?" She told him, her hands on her hips.

Andrew cringed. "I'm so sorry, Tess." He told her sincerely, his green eyes full of remorse. "I did not know it had alcohol in it. I didn't! If I had, I never would have – oh!" He put his hand to his forehead and grimaced. "Tess, my head hurts something terrible." He moaned weakly.

Tess softened a bit at the anguished look on his face. "I know it hurts, baby." She told him, as she pulled the rocking chair close to him once again. "But you would not be feeling so bad if you hadn't had that brandy. And besides that, look what suspicions you have aroused."

"What do you mean, Tess?" Andrew managed, still holding his aching head.

Tess couldn't help but feel exasperated. "Andrew, it is a rare thing for a human of your apparent age and size to get so sick so quickly over that many drinks. But apparently, as an angel, you do. You're not handling this introduction to alcohol well at all and now you're going to be in bed half the day tomorrow."

"Feeling this bad?" Andrew asked his voice full of dread.

Tess nodded. "Probably most of the time."

Andrew whimpered softly when he heard this answer. "Oh, Tess, I feel so foolish."

"I should think so." She agreed. Finally she sighed. "But I think that this is enough for now. We can and, trust me, we _will_ discuss this later when you are feeling better. You just get some rest now. Go on. Close your eyes." She added more gently.

Andrew did as she told him and it wasn't long before his headache and nausea were numbed by a restless sleep as the rain beat the roof above them.

Tess watched Andrew sleep, though he was not doing so peacefully. Anybody with eyes and a heart could see the anguished look on the angel's face as he slept. But only Tess had any idea why and though she was not happy with the reason for his illness, she couldn't help but feel compassion for him.

She completely believed him when he said he did not know that the brandy was alcoholic. So now he had to deal with the mistake through the night and most likely the next day. And even feeling as sick as he was, she was pretty sure that part of his distressed look came from guilt.

But Tess was also a little annoyed by his tolerance for the drink. His first alcoholic drink ever and he had downed three of them. The result would mostly likely have been much better had he only drank one. She had known a few other angels who had had this kind of low alcohol tolerance at first and had gotten sick as a result, but never before had she had to be the supervisor for one.

Minutes went by silently and Andrew had only been asleep for a little while when Mary Chandler walked into the room. She went and stood by where Tess was sitting.

"Oh, the poor dear." The woman shook her head, while watching Andrew sleep fitfully. "He does look so ill. I heard the doctor say he appears to have nearly no tolerance at all for alcohol. Is that right?"

Tess nodded. "That is what he said. He also suggested we watch him tonight, because we do not know what to expect."

Mary agreed. "That does sound like a good idea. I can do that."

Tess shook her head. "No, Mrs. Chandler, I can stay with him. After all, you stayed up with Ms. Steinbeck all last night. You must be worn out by now."

"Are you sure?" Mary asked, looking uncertain.

"Yes." The angel replied firmly. "Pardon me for saying so, but you look exhausted. Let me stay with Andrew for the night. I'm sure we will be fine." She added convincingly.

Mary smiled thankfully. "Thank you, Tess." She said softly. "I appreciate it. But you will let me know if you need any help at all?"

"Of course." The angel assured her. "Right away." Tess could not be sure, but she had a feeling that Andrew would rather have Tess around through night than one of his own assignments. Even if she _was_ rather annoyed by the mistake that he had made.

Mary left Tess and had only been downstairs for a few moments when there was a commotion heard from the foyer. Tess could not make out what was going on but she did detect John's angry voice along with Mary's, Elizabeth's, and very briefly Samuel Carroll's.

"Lord," Tess raised her eyebrows tiredly. "What a night this is turning out to be."

Tess glanced over at Andrew to see that he was still asleep, then quietly stood up and crept out of the room as not to wake him. She was curious to know what was going on, so she walked down the stairs to see what the commotion was all about.

Tess stood quietly at the foot of the stairs observing. Even though she was in human form, no one seemed to notice her, they were so busy carrying on. She could tell by the look on John's face, that whatever had happened, it had angered him a lot. Mary looked clearly disappointed and confused. But the expression on Elizabeth's face is what caught Tess' attention the most. The girl was clearly distraught and afraid, but she remained silent as her father vocally expressed his anger.

"What on earth were you doing?" He exclaimed loudly, his voice booming. "I told you to _never_ see that Loyalist boy, and yet you have deliberately disobeyed me! How dare you go against my wishes and sneak out with that boy!"

"I am sorry, Father." Elizabeth replied weakly, a stream of tears running down each cheek. "But I cannot abide by those wishes. Samuel is a good man, whether you see that or not."

"He is a Loyalist!" John shot back angrily. "And what about Micah? When do you plan on telling him of your new 'beau'?"

Elizabeth said nothing, but just continued to cry harder.

"He was going to ask you to marry him!" John continued loudly. "He loves you, Elizabeth! _And_ he is a Patriot!"

"Does that really matter, Father?" Elizabeth wiped her eyes and questioned her father desperately. "Is love not more important than whether or not the man your daughter marries supports the king?"

"Of course it is, Lizzie." Mary finally joined in the conversation quietly. "But you have been seeing Micah for two years now. Don't you love him?"

"Yes, I do." Elizabeth said firmly, though still crying. "I do love him, Mother. Very much. But I love Samuel too and am not ready to marry anyone. And I do not care whether Samuel is a Loyalist, but that seems to be all Father cares about!"

"That is not true!" John boomed loudly. "But I forbade you to see him at all, and had you obeyed me you would not be in this ordeal right now! How often do you meet that boy out there in that field?" He demanded to know.

"Every night after dark." She gulped.

"Every night!" He exclaimed.

"For how long?" Mary asked, appearing to be in disbelief.

Elizabeth was silent for a moment, and then finally admitted quietly. "For about six months."

Mary gasped and John looked at her sharply. "Six months? And does Sarah know about this?"

Elizabeth now looked even more distressed. "Father, please do not drag Sarah into this. She has not done anything wrong."

"Well, we will see about that." John snapped angrily. He turned around and marched straight past Tess up the stairs. Elizabeth quickly followed her father with Tess right behind them. But Mary remained downstairs, a worried look clearly written across her face.


	15. Chapter 15

_Hi everybody, this chapter is not quite as long as I had planned on it being, so I'm sorry about that. But the next one will have a much better effect as a whole, as opposed to splitting it up like I was originally going to do. And that will probably come on Saturday. So thanks for putting up with yet another small chapter! _

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**Chapter Fifteen**

Leaving Mary behind, Tess followed John and Elizabeth up the stairs and then stood quietly in the open doorway to Andrew's bedroom. There she stood and sadly observed as the night's events unfolded in front of her. She watched as John angrily burst through his eldest daughters' bedroom door, his loud footsteps clearly depicting the mood that he was in.

"Sarah!" The angel heard him exclaim seconds later. "What do you know about Elizabeth's secret meetings with Samuel Carroll?"

"Meetings?" The young girl stuttered meekly.

"Do not play dumb with me!" John demanded. "I know that you know something, and I want answers. Right now."

Tess could hear the younger girl start to spill out details helplessly and the angel shook her head sadly as she witnessed the hate and confusion. The entire purpose of the assignment was coming more and more together and she knew the time for Andrew to step further in was drawing near.

"Father, please don't be angry with me." Sarah begged him.

"It is much too late for that." John reminded her. "You, like your sister, have deliberately gone against my wishes. You should be ashamed of yourself."

He came back out of the room, then stopped and stared down at his eldest daughter, who was standing quietly outside her bedroom door.

"Father," She said softly, her sad eyes rose to meet his dark and angry ones. "I honestly did not intend to hurt anybody. I mean that. I don't want to hurt you or for you to be angry with me. You know that I have always honored your wishes before, but this time I am afraid I must make an exception."

"No! There are no exceptions." John interrupted, shaking his head. "As long as you are my daughter and as long as you live in this house, you will abide by my wishes. And if that is for you to never to see that young man again, then so be it."

"I cannot do that." Elizabeth told him, as tears once again filled her eyes. "I love Micah, Father. But I love Samuel too. You cannot possibly understand, you do not know him the way I do."

"I know that he is a Loyalist." The shopkeeper replied, his voice still full of anger. "And that is all I need to know."

"It is no reason to hate!" The young woman argued indignantly.

But as they arguing and angry voices went on, Tess became aware of some weak groaning behind her in the bedroom. She turned around to find Andrew with his eyes opened groggily trying to unsuccessfully push himself into a sitting position on the bed. Seeing this, she sighed and walked back to his side.

"No, baby." She told him calmly, as she gently helped him lay back down. "You need to stay in bed. Now come on, lay back down."

Andrew let her help him to lie back down, but he did not close his eyes. Instead he looked up at her with confusion. "Tess," He asked slowly, each word a job of it's own. "What is happening? I thought I heard angry voices."

And as if to illustrate his question, there was one last angry shout and then the sound of a door slamming in the hallway. The impact shook the house slightly, which made Andrew wince in pain. After that, all was mostly quiet.

"Tess?" He asked again, seeing the distracted look on his supervisor's face.

Brought back to reality, Tess shook her head. "I'm sorry, baby." She told him. Then she sighed because she knew that no matter what state of mind the younger angel was in, he would not take the news very well. "Andrew, you need to know that John is very angry right now. When it was time for the doctor to leave, he saw the man out. Then when he was out there, it caused him to discover Elizabeth outside visiting with Samuel... only minutes ago."

A shocked expression came over Andrew and his stomach lurched unexpectedly, causing his face to contort into one of distress and confusion.

Tess shook her head and stood up. "It's alright, baby. I better go get you a bucket and some water." She turned and left the room and Andrew could hear her making her way down the stairs.

Andrew laid upstairs in the bedroom alone and he tried to think straight, but was not having much success. His head still hurt terribly and he could not even begin to describe what his stomach was feeling like. So as he tried to focus his thoughts away from the ever growing nausea, he thought about what Tess had just told him.

Had he heard right when she said that John had caught Elizabeth and Samuel together? He knew he was sick, but he was pretty sure that that is what she had said. If it was true, then how terrible was it that he was now laid up in bed and could not do a thing to help her? There was absolutely nothing he could do at all.

Now the assignment would surely fail and it would be all his fault. All because he had been naïve enough to drink what? Wasn't it _three_ brandies? Three! And they had had alcohol in it of all things! He had known better than to drink things that had alcohol in them, but why hadn't he had the sense to know that brandies were one of those very drinks? He was beginning to feel very much like a failure. He was also beginning to feel that a lot of the knowledge and experience that case working required was something he was forever learning by trial and error. Mostly error it seemed.

His stomach began to churn violently again and it brought him out of his thoughts. He winced and curled himself into a tight ball, which didn't help to make anything much better. Oh, he felt awful! His face had become flushed and he was sweating. The room was slowly beginning to swim again and he clamped his eyes shut tightly, trying to make his head stop pounding.

He thought for a moment but at first could not remember where Tess had gone. Where had she...? Oh, yes... to get something... water and a bucket of some sort, she had said. He hoped that she would hurry back. He knew she could not do much to help him, but he still felt better having her around. It was comforting in a way, even though he could tell she was still quite a bit annoyed by the brandy thing.

But who could blame her? Wasn't he supposed to help Elizabeth to be able to marry Samuel? Hadn't he promised that he would try and help her? How could he do any of that now? Now, when things were really mattering, he was stuck up in bed; barely able to stand on his own and every word he said was an effort. He could barely sit up without his head throbbing harder! The room seemed as if it was constantly spinning around him and now his stomach was feeling worse too.

He curled up tighter beneath the quilts on the bed, subconsciously hoping that it would somehow ease the increasing queasiness he felt. He just wished it would stop. Silently he promised God that he would never drink another alcoholic beverage in his entire existence if He would just make him feel better. But the Lord remained silent for his part and the angel continued to whimper quietly from the growing nausea.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity but was really only a couple of minutes, Tess reentered the bedroom.

"Andrew," She asked him, sitting her supplies down on a table by the bed. "How are you holding up?"

His response to her question was merely another weak moan as he winced and his focus went back and forth from his head to his stomach. The queasier his stomach got, the tighter he curled up and the tenser he felt; which all caused the throbbing in his head to worsen. But Tess, seeing the problem, gently set out to help him.

"Andrew," She said softly. "Andrew, listen to me. Loosen up and lay down flat on your back. It will make you feel better."

But the other angel didn't listen. He was so busy concentrating on how he felt that he didn't even hear her say anything to him. As a matter of fact, it wasn't even until he felt her hands on his trembling back that he even realized she was next to his bed at all.

"Andrew," She told him soothingly. "Come on, baby. Don't tense yourself up so much." Once she had his attention somewhat, she began to help him lie still. Eventually she got him to lie as he had been doing before; flat on his back with his eyes closed.

"That's it." She said softly. She took a cloth and began to gently wipe the perspiration off his flushed face. "Try and sleep it off, baby. That's probably the best thing for you to do right now."

Andrew tried to do just that, but couldn't seem to. He did feel a bit better after laying flat once more, yet every time his stomach worsened so quickly without warning it was his natural instinct to go back into a curled up ball. But Tess kept a watchful eye on him, keeping him from doing so.

Andrew continued to lay there, awake but with his eyes closed, for about another half hour; all the while his breathing was hard and labored as he tried to fight off the nausea in his stomach. The churning he felt inside was not getting any better and it was not long before he felt the sudden need to vomit. But even so, he fought it by instinct, trying to keep his supper down.

Watching him struggle, Tess shook her head compassionately. It was not easy being so sick. Especially when you had never been ill before.

"Come on," She coaxed him as pushed his sweaty hair out of his face. "You have to vomit, but that's alright. It will make you feel better in the end, baby, I promise."

But he shook his head and Tess could see tears of frustration and misery in the corners of his eyes. It was a natural for him to try and keep his food down, but Tess also knew that the angel needed sleep and he was never going to get any as long as his stomach was feeling so terrible.

Minutes went by and he continued to struggle for all it was worth, but a few moments later he finally gave in. Ignoring the pain that shot through his head, he sat up as quickly as he could and lurched forward. Seeing this coming, Tess was prepared and quickly grabbed the empty bucket that she had brought upstairs and held it under the other angel's mouth.

As Andrew emptied the contents of his stomach into the bucket, Tess kept his long hair out of his face and rubbed his back soothingly. Finally, when he was finished, he let out a shuddering sigh and fell back down weakly against the pillows behind him. What had been left of his strength was gone by now and he felt completely exhausted.

Tess quietly took a handkerchief and helped him wipe off his mouth, and then she gave him a few sips of water from a cup. He drank the cool liquid thankfully, but sparingly – afraid to put much of anything into his stomach now, for fear of only having it come up once again.

As he lay there now, he was temporarily relieved of any queasiness, but his head still ached horribly and he had absolutely no more energy left. Andrew shut his weary green eyes tiredly and within moments, he was fast asleep. This time much more soundly then before and as Tess watched him, she sighed with relief.


	16. Chapter 16

_2/23/08_

_Welcome to the next chapter. As you've noticed some of the more recent chapters haven't exactly been overly long. But this one's length, I hope, will make up for it. I think it may be the longest one yet actually. And, as always, thanks for the amazing support I'm getting here. You guys are great!_

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

Andrew slept peacefully for the next few hours, but soon he began tossing and turning in his sleep once again. It was guilt, fear, and shame that began to affect his sleep and soon he found himself unknowingly in a nightmare.

_

* * *

Andrew opens his eyes and gazes around at his surroundings. He is standing in a familiar looking field, though seemingly empty. After a moment he recognizes it from the battle he had found himself in a few days before. But how had he gotten there? He doesn't remember. The last thing he can recall was being sick in bed and falling asleep._

_He looks down at himself to find that instead of a nightshirt, he is now strangely wearing the same exact clothes he had mucked up the very first day of his assignment. In this very same field._

_But he also realizes that he no longer feels sick. In fact, he is feeling fine. His head is clear, he can see straight, and his stomach is still at last._

_But how did he get here? And where is everybody? Where is Tess at?_

_Curious, he is just about to begin walking when he hears a noise behind him. He turns around to find Elizabeth Chandler staring coldly at him. Her eyes seem void of nearly any emotion, yet at the same time sends a chill up Andrew's spine._

"_Elizabeth," He begins with surprise. "What are you doing here? What am I doing here?"_

_She just continues to stare at him, somewhat accusingly._

_Seeing this, Andrew manages a small nervous chuckle. "Um, you see, I am just a little confused here. If you could help me out, I would be very grateful."_

_Finally she speaks. "Help you? Why should I? When you did not help me?"_

_Andrew is shocked and remains silent. What is this girl talking about?_

"_You were supposed to help me." She reminds him surely, her eyes never leaving the stare. "But instead you make yourself sick over brandies. I should have known that I would get an angel like you. Some help you are."_

"_What?" Andrew stutters. "I do not understand."_

"_Maybe this you will." A voice says behind the angel and Andrew spins around to find Samuel standing there. He wears the same expression Elizabeth does, yet he seems much paler than normal and his eyes seem void of life. _

"_S-Samuel?" Andrew checks. He can't help but feel another chill run up his spine from the look in the young man's eyes._

_Samuel nods. "I loved Elizabeth, Andrew. With all my heart. I was going to ask her to marry me."_

"_Was?" Andrew recognizes the past tense._

_The young Loyalist nods again, this time a hint of sadness showing on his face. "Yes. I was. But I cannot now, Andrew. You ended any chance I had of that. If you had only stayed out of that tavern, things might have been different for Elizabeth and me."_

_Andrew does not know what to make of this. But he does remember the tavern now. And the drinks. And how sick he had gotten. He grimaces at the thought. But when he looks back over at where Samuel had stood, the young man is gone. Curiously, the angel looks at Elizabeth for answers. _

"_Where did he go?" He asks._

_She shakes her head silently, tears in her eyes. _

"_You will see, Andrew. You will." Another voice answers his question. This time it belongs to Sarah Chandler. Andrew spins around to see her standing there, staring at him, just as her sister was doing. And her face was just as haunting as the others' as well._

"_Sarah!" He gasps in surprise._

"_Andrew," Her voice coming out small and hurt. "I trusted you. You were my friend."_

_Andrew shakes his head in protest. "But Sarah, I am your friend." _

_She frowns sadly. "No, you aren't. You cannot be my friend. Not after what has happened. You went and got sick from those drinks and now my father has discovered the secret I told you about Samuel and Elizabeth. And now he knows that I kept such a thing from him. Andrew, my father will hate me forever now. All because you were too sick to help anybody."_

"_Sarah, I am sorry." Andrew tells her sincerely. He can feel a headache creeping its way back, but ignores it when he hears a new voice. It belongs to Mary._

"_Andrew, my family could have used a much better angel on this case." Mary tells him flatly and Andrew feels a stab of guilt and shame as she says this. "We needed an angel. One to help us get Elizabeth married to the right man so that she could lead a happy life. But instead we got you. And now look at what has happened: my family is falling apart. My husband and eldest daughter are not speaking. Sarah wants forgiveness from her father, yet he will refuse to give it. And now Elizabeth is sure to end up an old maid, for no man will ever trust her now."_

_Hearing this sad state of the family, Andrew feels shame engulf him once again and his stomach begins to churn slightly. But he is too engrossed in guilt to notice. Look what he had done! This is his entire fault! Some caseworker he has turned out to be!_

"_Andrew," Two voices suddenly say simultaneously. Andrew turns to see that both John and Micah have joined the small circle surrounding the angel. _

"_Andrew," John speaks up first. "Why did you not say anything to me about Elizabeth and Samuel? That Loyalist! You knew she was seeing him, yet you deliberately said nothing to me! You know what I think of him!"_

_Andrew gulps. "I... I am so sorry, Mr. Chandler." He manages remorsefully. "I truly thought I was doing the right thing. I did. You see, I promised Elizabeth that I would not tell you. And a promise is a promise."_

"_Promises?" The shopkeeper scoffs. "You are a no good weakling of an angel who cannot even hold his own liquor! And you make a promise to my daughter that you will keep a secret because why? Because you think it will help her?" He shakes his head in dismay. "You cannot help anybody! Not even yourself!"_

"_I loved Elizabeth, Andrew." Micah speaks firmly. "I wanted to marry her and you know that. You almost let me do so, knowing she was seeing someone else. It's a good thing you got sick and we had to drag Dr. Stewart out. Or else Mr. Chandler might never have caught the two of them together." He nods toward Elizabeth and to where Samuel had stood. "I can never marry her now. I cannot trust her. Some help you are!"_

_Andrew grimaces at these words and a stronger wave of nausea sweeps over him. Then he feels a chill run through his body and he shivers. They were right. What good was he? He had no business trying to help them. He was a joke. Probably the laughing stock of the entire celestial realm by now. If he was lucky, he would probably end up as the angel who shoveled horse manure from the barns. Never again to come in contact with a human being, lest he ruin some more lives. _

_Because that was just what he had done. Elizabeth was never going to be married now. Her father had done all but officially disown her. Samuel had apparently disappeared and Micah would have nothing to do with her and the entire Chandler family would feel the strenuous effects for years to come. The once happy joyful children would be burdened with sorrow. All because he, an angel of all things, had been capable of nothing except firing the opening shot to a war and getting sick over a few innocent looking drinks._

_As he stands dejectedly in the middle of the gradually formed circle, the headache and nausea grow steadily worse. And as his physical state grows worse, so does he grow worse emotionally and mentally. All he can think about is what a failure he has been. His very first case working assignment and he has blown it. Completely. And lives were ruined in the process. He feels terrible._

_The faces seem to close in around him and he finds himself breathing harder, as if he can't get enough air. Without knowing what else to do, he takes off running. He doesn't know where he is going. All he knows is that he needs to get away from the haunting accusations. He needs to get away from the guilt. But the guilt doesn't leave, no matter how far or fast he runs._

_As he runs, he suddenly trips over something and the next thing he knows he is lying on a soft pile of dirt with the breath knocked out of him. He gets onto his knees and looks up and that is when he realizes that he has tripped over and fallen onto a fresh grave. Daunted, he looks around him to see that his circle of accusers has once again formed around him._

"_What... what is this?" Andrew asks not one of the people in particular._

_Mary just silently nods towards the tombstone. _

_He is nearly afraid to look, but hesitantly he does turn his head to read the stone. What he finds makes him feel dizzy and nauseous all over again. The tombstone has Samuel's name on it. The grave belongs to Samuel. The young man is... he is dead._

_Shocked, he stands up and looks at everyone around him, hoping for some answers. He opens his mouth, but words and sounds refuse to come out. He shivers and somehow knows, even with the silence, that Samuel Carroll's death is his fault. He doesn't quit know how, but that really doesn't matter._

"_Yes," Elizabeth finally speaks up angrily. "It it your fault, Andrew. Samuel is dead. And it is your fault."_

_As he stands there miserably, the circle of people around him remain and stare accusingly. The faces pierce at his heart, but he is suddenly aware of a presence beside him. He turns to see Tess standing there. Yet she wears a dismayed look on her face as well._

"_Tess..." He begins softly, unsure of what to do or say._

"_Andrew," She shakes her head. "I am so disappointed in you. Look at what you have done. The Father entrusted you with human lives and the forming of their futures. And you have turned it into a disaster. Now we are going to have to see if we can do anything to possibly fix all you have ruined."_

"_I'm sorry Tess." Andrew whispers his green eyes remorseful. "I know I am completely unworthy of this job, I know that. But what will I do now?"_

_Tess throws up her hands in frustration. "Who knows? I would be surprised if you ever come into contact with a human life again after this! I just hope we can somehow fix anything you messed up! You are just hopeless." She states firmly._

"_You are hopeless, Andrew." Mary joins in._

"_Good for nothing." Elizabeth tells him._

_Heads in the circle begin to nod and they repeat what the young girl has just said, among other discouraging remarks. And it begins to turn into a chant; louder and louder each time. Everyone in the group having something negative to say to the angel in the center._

_Standing there and hearing the words of the group, Andrew feels tears sting the corners of his eyes and he sinks slowly to the ground. He crouches there with his hands over his ears, he tries to block out the remarks that are being made, but it seems that the harder he tries, the louder the words get. And as this goes on his stomach begins to churn more and his head begins throbbing harder. Another chill runs through his body and, again, he shivers,_

_Finally in exasperation, he shouts out. "Stop! Please stop!" Then he looks towards the sky and speaks desperately though tears. "Father, I am so sorry! Please forgive me. I ruined the entire assignment and I failed You. I am so sorry!"_

_As he prays, the shouts get louder and he can feel the group closing in on him, their accusations never ceasing._

"_Father! Please forgive me. Please! Please..."_

* * *

Though still quite asleep, Andrew desperately thrashed about in bed. He wore an anguished look on his face as he rolled about anxiously; yet no one saw it, for after hours of watching and praying, Tess had finally drifted off to sleep in the chair beside the bed. 

But at the sound of the other angel's soft cries and pleads, she began to waken. She opened her eyes to see her protégé thrashing about violently in his sickbed. He had by now kicked many of the quilts off onto the floor and knocked over the cup of water sitting beside his bed in the process.

Alarmed, Tess stood out of her chair quickly and moved the glowing lantern, which lit the room, to a different table before his flailing arms knocked it over. Then she went back to his side and tried to calm him.

"Andrew," She said softly. "Come on, baby, it's alright."

But the sick angel was obviously asleep and deeply lost in a nightmare. He did not respond to Tess' voice and he even wrenched away from her touch, almost as if in fear.

Tess shook her head as she saw this. What could he possibly be dreaming about that he would thrash about so desperately? She didn't know, but whatever it was, she intended to wake him from it.

"Andrew," She spoke again, this time a little louder, but still careful not to wake the Chandler family who had been asleep for hours. "Andrew, wake up, baby. You're having a nightmare."

But the only response from him was some desperate pleas and cries. Curiously, Tess tried to make out what he said.

"I'm sorry!" The blonde angel cried out as he continued to toss about. "Forgive me! Please... good for nothing... so... so sorry..."

Tess' heart went out to him, for it was obvious that something was bothering him so terribly it was now affecting his sleep. She knew he had to wake up before he hurt himself.

She leaned over the bed, dodging his flailing arms, as she tried to get a hold of him. Finally she managed to grab his shoulders and pin him down, but when she did he let out a frightened cry and wrenched away violently, throwing himself over the side of the bed and onto the floor.

Tess immediately knelt down beside him as he lay there on the ground. "Andrew, it's alright. It's just a dream." She coaxed him gently.

Finally, upon hearing Tess voice, Andrew stopped thrashing and mumbling. He opened his eyes slowly and found that he was no longer in a sunny field surrounded by angry accusing people. Instead he was on the floor of a dimly lit bedroom in the Chandler's home. He didn't remember how he had gotten on the floor, but he figured that it had something to do with why his breath felt knocked out of him.

Then when he saw Tess beside him, looking down with concerned brown eyes, it all came flooding back to him. The field he had stood surrounded in, Samuel's death, and how he had failed so many people and even God. It had been so real. Was it? Maybe it was. The angry voices, accusations, and guilt still seemed so vividly fresh and upon remembering them, he felt hot tears well up in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Tess." He began to spill out, looking into her eyes. "It's all my fault. I... I have ruined everything."

Now Tess was confused. He was clearly awake but what was he talking about? He was obviously guilt-ridden, that was evident.

"Where did everyone go?" He began to ask, his voice hoarse and edged with remorse. "Oh, Tess! I am so sorry! I ruined everything!" He repeated, as a tear slipped out from beneath his eye and slid quickly down the side of his face.

"Angel boy, what on earth are you talking about?" Tess asked him softly.

"I ruined it, Tess," He told her through tears. "Everything. The whole assignment. Samuel is dead and it is my fault. Everybody is angry with me. Probably even God. I failed Him too."

Tess shook her head in disbelief. "No, baby, no. Come here." She pulled him up into a sitting position beside her on the floor and then wrapped a quilt snugly around his trembling shoulders to protect him from the unusually cool night. "Now, I do not know where you got this idea, but I can assure you that you have not failed."

He disagreed, shaking his head. "I did, Tess." He told her, as the tears fell faster and he shivered. "I failed and I do not deserve to be a case worker. Or even an angel at all."

"Andrew, that is not true." Tess told him firmly. "Where did you ever get such an idea?"

"You told me!" He told her as if she should already know. "Everybody did! You all surrounded me in that field and told me so. Samuel is dead, I saw his grave and it's my fault! Now Elizabeth will never get married and her family is falling apart. All because they got me as an angel! I'm no good, Tess! I'm a failure!"

Now it was all becoming clear to the older supervising angel. The nightmare! He obviously hadn't yet separated it from reality.

"Andrew," She told him, interrupting his apologies and explanations. "Andrew, listen to me. Baby, you had a nightmare. It's not true. None of what you just told me is true."

He heard her but shook his head in disbelief. She couldn't be right. She couldn't! It had all seemed so real. He had seen the grave himself, he had felt the soft dirt between his fingers. He knew he was a failure. Everyone had told him so and they were right. He just knew they were.

But Tess gently laid her hands on his tear-stained face and held it firmly, forcing him to look her in the eye. "There is no field, Andrew." She continued softly, yet surely, while subconsciously she noticed heat radiating off his face. "No accusations. No one is angry with you, I promise. Yes, the Chandler family is very upset right now, but not with you. You are going to help them get through this. Just as soon as you start to feel better."

He did not looked convinced though. "Samuel isn't dead?"

She shook her head. "No, Andrew. No. Samuel is very much alive. I promise."

"It, it was a nightmare?" Andrew stammered, still a bit in disbelief. "God... He isn't angry with me?"

Tess' heart went out to him as she smiled softly. "No, baby. Nothing about that nightmare is true. You have made some mistakes; that's true, but everyone does and the assignment is nowhere near ruined. I love you very much and so does God. As a matter of fact, the Father is very proud of you." She added softly.

"He, He is?" Andrew asked with uncertainty.

Tess nodded a small smile on her face.

Overcome with relief, Andrew flung himself into Tess' arms. Hot tears stung his eyes very briefly before they once again began to pour down his cheeks. His shoulders shook as he wept uncontrollably and Tess embraced him securely, stroking his hair in a consoling way.

She didn't say anything at first. She just let him cry, for she knew that he was emotionally exhausted after the last few hours of sickness and nightmares. She rubbed his back soothingly and finally when his crying had slowed to hiccuping sobs, did she speak to him gently.

"It's alright, Andrew." She said softly. "Everything is going to be fine."

"I thought I had ruined everything." He replied, his tearful voice muffled against Tess' shoulder. "Samuel was dead. It was my fault and.. everyone hated me. And I hated myself. It was terrible."

"I know, baby, I know," She soothed him as she patted his back. "But it's not true. It was just a nightmare. Nobody hates you and you shouldn't either. This assignment is not over yet. We have some work to do still. _You_ do."

He only sniffled in reply and his head began to feel heavy on her shoulder. Tess reached up and touched his forehead lightly, brushing his hair out of his eyes. She again felt hot skin and she frowned concernedly.

"Angel Boy, are you cold?" She asked him softly.

"A little." He mumbled, shivering slightly.

Tess sighed. "I think you have a fever, baby. Not a very high one, but you do feel a little warm." She had a good feeling that that may have had something to do with his nightmare and wayward emotions at this point.

Noticing that he was quieting down, Tess could tell that he was getting sleepy and knew that she had better get him back in bed before he fell asleep on the floor.

"Come on, Andrew," She whispered into his ear. "Let's get you back up in bed before you fall asleep down here."

Andrew sighed tiredly and shivered again. He could feel his eyes growing heavier.

Tess shook her head and began to stand up, revealing a tear stained shoulder on her dress. "Come on now." She pulled the quilt from his shoulders and moved it out of the way. Then she gently began to help him to his feet and back into the bed.

Once Andrew was lying back down on the bed, she picked up the quilts off the floor and after shaking each one out she began to lay them over the shivering angel. He was no longer crying by now, but he still let out a shuddering sigh every few minutes as his body settled down.

"Now," Tess began, taking a handkerchief and wiping the remaining tears from his flushed face. "Are you feeling any better, baby?"

Andrew shrugged tiredly. "I don't know, Tess. I just feel really... really tired." And as if to illustrate his point, a yawn escaped his mouth. "My head and stomach are starting to bother me again too. And my eyes hurt." He added slowly, closing them wearily.

"Well then you just try and sleep, Andrew." She told him softly. "Just close your eyes and sleep it all off. You will probably feel a little better in the morning."

"You won't leave, Tess, will you?" Andrew looked at her again, afraid he would have another nightmare like before.

She smiled and shook her head. "No, I'll stay right here."

He nodded, wearily shutting his eyes once more. As he lay there quietly, Tess began to sing softly and rub his back, lulling him to sleep this way. And even when she could finally hear the deep, even breaths that meant he had finally fallen asleep once again, she continued. And as she did, she prayed that that his illness would soon pass and that he would gain the confidence he needed, so that he could continue to fulfill what the Father had planned.


	17. Chapter 17

_Thank you for all of the encouragement, everyone! Here is the next chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

Tess continued to sit there by Andrew's bedside and pray. After a few minutes, she was suddenly aware of a calming presence behind her. She turned around in her chair to find her own angelic supervisor, Sam, standing watching her. He wore a solemn expression on his face, as usual, and Tess couldn't help but be concerned that something more was wrong that she was not even aware of.

"Sam?" She asked, still surprised to see him there at all. After all, he usually didn't show up very often.

But Sam could sense the worry on her face and he smiled with assurance. "Don't worry, Tess. I am just dropping in to see how you and Andrew are doing." He glanced over at Andrew, who was sleeping soundly. "He is sleeping like an angel now, I see."

Tess smiled weakly at the pun as she continued to rub the sick angel's back. "Yes, finally. He got pretty worked up for a while back there. I wasn't even sure that I could calm him down."

Sam nodded and took a step closer. "I saw. Angels do not often have nightmares and this one really bothered him. He has got a tender heart, Tess. And that is a wonderful thing for an angel to have, but it can also makes him a bit sensitive at times."

Tess understood what Sam meant by that. "I have seen that in him, Sam. But you know he is so eager to please, yet at the same time so afraid to fail. What do you do with an angel like that?"

Sam perched himself at the foot of Andrew's bed and looked at Tess earnestly in the eye. "You do what you have already been doing, Tess. You love them and you guide them with as much care and patience as you can possibly muster." He smiled knowingly. "I know that it's not always easy sometimes, especially on nights like this. If there is trouble to be found, it seems that these young caseworkers will find it." He then grew serious again, but wore a soft expression at the same time. "But I think you know from experience that it can very rewarding sometimes. I do not know exactly what, but I have heard from very good sources that the Father has great plans for Andrew in the future."

Tess' eyes widened. "He does?"

Sam nodded. "Well, don't be so surprised Tess. I happen to know that you had your own share of troubles all those years ago. But look, you learned and overcame. Now you're a supervisor as well. I know Andrew has gotten himself into more than his fair share of trouble these last few days, but do not judge him too harshly. He has such an overwhelming amount of potential. He just needs to discover it."

"And some confidence." Tess added, glancing back over at Andrew to see that he still slept soundly.

Sam nodded. "And confidence too. But he will find both of those things all in good time. You know how it goes. Usually they find their confidence and not long afterwards we have to work on the pride instead." He chuckled, then cocked his head. "But in the meantime, just do what you have already been doing. Because until tonight, you both seemed to be doing just fine." As he finished his sentence, he stood up to leave.

Tess moved to get up as well, but Sam shook his head and motioned for her to remain seated. "No, Tess. Stay with Andrew. He seems to need you more than usual tonight and I think you had better stay with him, at least until daylight."

"Will you be back, Sam?" Tess then asked curiously.

Sam shrugged. "Perhaps. But you just focus on getting him well and back to work. We have got an important assignment on our hands and as of last night, it became even more crucial."

Tess nodded and then after that, he was gone.

Once her supervisor was gone, Tess turned once again to watch Andrew sleep. She noticed a peaceful look on his face for the first time that night and she thought about what Sam had said about the Father having a lot in store for Andrew in the future. It wasn't that she doubted it. Not at all. But she also could not help but find it slightly amusing for some reason. She just hoped that after all he was going through that night, that he could take something away from it; some experience and knowledge that would help him on his future assignments.

Suddenly, Tess heard the sounds of soft footsteps coming into the room from behind her. She twisted around to find Mary Chandler coming through the doorway. The woman looked tired, both emotionally and physically, yet she tried to smile anyway.

"Mrs. Chandler," Tess said quietly, surprise in her voice. "It is close to two in the morning. What are you doing awake?"

Mary shrugged as she came closer into the bedroom. "I could not sleep so I thought I would check in on the two of you. How is he?" She nodded toward Andrew.

"He has come down with a low fever, which I imagine came from coming home sick in the cold rain. And he had a nightmare a little while ago," Tess told the woman truthfully, as she remembered how worked up he had been. "He was really upset for a while, but we got him through it and he's sleeping now."

Mary nodded. "I thought I heard something going on up here, but then I figured I must have been imagining it. I just have so much on my mind." She sighed and Tess had a good idea what the woman's thoughts were turned to. But she waited silently for her to continue.

"You saw what happened earlier with Elizabeth and John, didn't you?" Mary finally asked quietly, after a pause.

Tess nodded. "You mean when she was caught outside with Samuel Carroll?"

"Yes." Mary replied. "I just cannot believe that she would be doing such a thing. Especially when she knows how her father feels about all Loyalists." She shook her head. "It just doesn't make any sense."

"Does it?" Tess asked quietly, not wanting to wake Andrew.

Mary shrugged. "Almost everyone has been assuming that Elizabeth and Micah would marry someday soon. And John loves Micah almost like a son already. We honestly had no idea she was even interested in Samuel."

"Perhaps because she knew what her father would think." Tess spoke wisely. "But tell me, Mrs. Chandler, what do you think about this?"

Mary looked thoughtful. "You know, I cannot be really sure. I would normally say that I want Elizabeth to marry Micah. But I want her to be happy more than anything. And if she is happy with Samuel..." She sighed. "But John would never allow it. Already I am afraid of what might happen. Of what John may do or say."

"If you do not mind me asking, what happened last night after Elizabeth came inside?" Tess asked the woman.

"John was very angry." Mary said her eyes truthful and worried. "He began demanding to Sarah that she tell him everything she knew about Elizabeth and Samuel." She shook her head. "The poor child. I had no idea that any of this was going, yet she knew so much. Why didn't she say something to me?"

"Maybe that is something you should ask her." Tess replied quietly. "She seems to love her family very much. I would imagine she had a good reason for keeping this a secret."

"Possibly because she knew how John would react to this." Mary mused. "I'm afraid of what he may do, Tess. I have rarely seen him so upset. Elizabeth told me she wanted to be given permission to marry Samuel if the time came that she would like to. But her father will never allow it."

"Does John know this?" Tess asked.

Mary shook her head. "No, he had already left her alone by this point. Maybe I should talk to him."

"I think that you should." Tess gave her opinion.

"You do?" The worried woman asked.

"Yes." Tess nodded. "I know that Mr. Chandler is a strong Patriot, but I know that you both want what is best for Elizabeth. Maybe you can help him see things in a different light."

Mary looked thoughtful. "You know, you may be right, Tess. I think I will try and talk with him about this in the morning, though it may not do any good."

"The Lord moves in mysterious ways." Tess smiled encouragingly.

Mary smiled. "You're right, He does." She looked at Tess quizzically, yet at the same time gratefully. "You know, I never expected to come up here and pour out my worries to you, but thank you for listening. You are a wise woman, Tess."

The angel smiled. "You are more than welcome, Mrs. Chandler. I will be praying for you and your family."

Mary once again offered to sit with Andrew, but just like before, Tess declined politely. The woman relented and then went back downstairs.

Through the rest of the night, Tess remained by Andrew's side. He remained asleep for the most part, but whenever he would begin to stir Tess would once again start rubbing his back softly, lulling him back to sleep. Every now and then she would take a cool, damp cloth and press it against his feverish forehead and by daybreak his fever had broken. But also by this point, Tess' human form was beginning to feel the effects of staying up all night long and as the sun began to creep over the horizon; she too drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, the sounds of birds could be heard chirping happily outside, signaling that the thunderstorm from the evening before had passed.

Andrew stirred in bed, mumbling softly in his sleep. He could hear the birds singing and he subconsciously noticed how warm he felt; no longer chilled like the night before. His eyes still closed, he rolled over underneath the quilts to lie on his back. Then slowly and groggily he opened his eyes.

He yawned and turned his head to see Tess sleeping soundly in the rocking chair beside his bed. Seeing this, he smiled weakly – she had been true to her word. She hadn't left his side.

He listened closely and he could hear activity going on downstairs, meaning the Chandler family was up and about already. Andrew knew that John would be getting ready to leave for the store fairly soon, and being the "apprentice" he knew he was supposed to go with him. He waited a moment and noticed that his stomach seemed to be settled down and that he wasn't dizzy anymore.

Pleased, the angel smiled with relief. Then without giving it another thought, he quickly pushed the quilts aside and jumped out of bed. As his bare feet hit the cool hardwood floor, Andrew was hit with a rush of vertigo, his head started to pound instantly and the room began to swim again. Then the same nausea from the night before returned to his stomach and he stumbled unsteadily, causing his supervisor to wake from her sleep.

Tess woke up abruptly and caught Andrew just before he fell and hit his head on the bed. She held him steady, as she stood up.

"Angel Boy, what are you doing out of bed?" She demanded to know, watching him wince from an obvious headache.

"I, I was feeling better, Tess. And I know Mr. Chandler expects me to go to the store with him." Andrew replied weakly. He looked about searching for something. "Where are my things at, Tess? I have to go. I have to work on my assignment." Though he still felt dizzy, he tried in vain to get past Tess.

But Tess stood her ground and kept a firm hold on him. "You are not going anywhere. Baby, take a look at yourself. You are in no shape to be leaving your bed, much less working at the store."

"But..." Andrew continued to protest, trying to ignore the pain he felt in his head.

"No 'buts', Andrew." Tess shook her head. "Now you get that halo of yours back into that bed right now." She instructed firmly, helping him to lie back down. She pulled the quilts back over him then sat down on the edge of the bed. "Besides, Mr. Chandler does not expect you to go with him this morning."

"He doesn't?" Andrew asked weakly, his face clearly one of surprise mixed with pain.

The older angel shook her head. "No, of course not. Do you think he would drag you out there with him like this? He may have been angry last night, Andrew, but the man has a good heart." She laid her warm hand on his forehead, and then smiled. "I think that little fever you had last night is gone. Are you cold?"

He shook his head slightly. Then an uncomfortable look came over his soft features. "Tess," He began. "About last night. The nightmare and the way I was acting about it. It was silly and I..." He let his voice trail off quietly and cast his eyes downward.

"No," Tess smiled lovingly and pushed a strand of blonde hair away from his green eyes. "I don't want you to even start with that, Angel Boy. You're sick and you had a fever last night. In that state it's not always easy to separate dreams from reality and often your emotions go along for the ride. If you needed to cry, then there is nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all."

"I was just so afraid that I had failed, Tess." He told her truthfully, while obviously remembering the nightmare he had had. "I thought for sure that Samuel was dead and that everything had gone wrong. I am so afraid I'll mess everything up, Tess." He added quietly.

"I know you are." She replied. "But the truth is, Andrew, you are going to mess up at some time another. Just try your very best now. That is all anybody is asking of you."

He nodded, trying to apply that to his current assignment.

"And one other thing." She added softly. "Don't ever be afraid to show others how you feel, baby. It's not wrong to cry and you should never feel ashamed for it. You can't keep your feelings locked up forever."

"But I thought that angels were supposed to be the strong ones?" Andrew questioned his mentor. "We're here to help humans. We have to be strong to do that."

"Do we?" Tess asked quietly, making him think. But she continued without waiting for an answer. "Andrew, angels have feelings too. They can be hurt by the things of this world just like anyone else. Just because you're an angel, does not mean you have to be perfect or immune. It means you serve God before yourself and you use His love to reach human beings who need it. How could you ever reach a human if you never felt any pain? If you never wanted to cry or if you had never been angry before? If you were always the 'strong one', then how would you ever understand how they feel inside?"

Andrew looked thoughtful, like he had discovered a new piece of information. "I guess you're right, Tess..." He began slowly. "I never really thought about it that way before, but it really does make sense."

"And you know what else?" Tess smiled fondly down at him. "The Father cries too, baby."

Andrew just smiled weakly and nodded. He knew that Tess was right and he felt better about things now. And even though his stomach was beginning to churn again, he wished he could go to the store with John.

Tess stood up from the bed and studied him carefully. "Do you think you could keep anything down, Angel Boy?" She asked him. "Maybe a little bit of porridge?"

Andrew shrugged. "I don't know, Tess. I was feeling fine when I woke up, but once I got out of bed I got dizzy and my stomach got queasy all over again."

She nodded understandingly. "You had lain still most of the night and your body got a chance to calm down. You are better than you were last night, but you're not well yet." She sighed. "Why don't we just try a little breakfast and see how that goes?"

Andrew just shrugged. He really wasn't all that hungry, but if that was what Tess wanted, then he would at least try it.

She smiled and nodded. "You stay right here. I'll be back in a few minutes with some porridge."

Andrew nodded and she turned and left the room.


	18. Chapter 18

_Thanks for all the review everybody! They've really brightened my mood! Before I end this note, I just wanted to thank Garjzlavarden, __Jenni-OnThisSide, and Yva J.__ for keeping up so well and faithfully reviewing every chapter. You all rock!_

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

Once Tess was gone, Andrew sighed and closed his eyes wearily. Just then he heard a rustling sound come from the bedroom doorway. He opened his eyes to see Sarah peeking in around the corner.

She blushed when she saw him look at her. "I'm sorry Andrew, if you're asleep, then I do not want to bother you." She turned to go.

But Andrew just smiled weakly and shook his head. "No, that's alright. Come on in." He beckoned her.

She hesitated for a moment, and then made her way to the rocking chair at the head of the bed where Tess had stayed throughout the night. Timidly, she sat down in it.

"I heard you were sick." She said quietly, and then looked at him curiously. "You are not contagious, are you?"

He shook his head. "No, I don't think so."

"So… what made you sick?" She asked next, fingering the corner of a quilt that hung on the edge of the bed.

Andrew's faced turned slightly red at the question. "Well, it is a bit embarrassing actually." He started. "But it seems that my body does not care for brandy all that much at all."

The girl's eyes widened. "That is it? Alcohol?" She asked. "I have heard of men getting sick over it, but never _this_ sick." She pointed out.

"Sometimes there is more to a man than meets the eye, Sarah." Andrew told her knowingly. Then changing the subject, his voice got quieter. "So, what happened last night?" He asked cautiously.

Sarah's face grew serious at the fresh memory. "Well... Father walked Dr. Stewart outside and then he found Elizabeth and Samuel together. He was very angry." She said, and then cast her eyes downward. "Then he made me tell him everything I knew about the situation, even though I didn't want to. Andrew, my father has forbidden the two to see each other. But I am afraid for what may happen to Elizabeth. Her heart is broken and at the same time torn in two entirely different directions."

Andrew shook his head in protest, but at the pain he felt he stopped and winced. Sarah saw this, and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Andrew, are you alright?" She asked him concernedly.

"Yes, I will be fine." He told her, trying to hide the discomfort in his head and stomach. Then he went back to what he was originally trying to say. "Sarah, you said your sister's heart is torn into two completely different directions, but that is not entirely true."

"What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

"Both directions start out and end in the same destination." Andrew told her. "And that is love. She loves this Loyalist, Samuel?"

Sarah nodded. "I know she does."

"Then we will see what we can do, alright?" He told her quietly.

She nodded.

Suddenly footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs and a moment later John appeared in the doorway along with Tess and she held a steaming bowl of porridge in her hands.

John saw Sarah sitting with Andrew, and he wrinkled his eyebrows. "Sarah?" He asked her, showing no emotion whatsoever. "What are you doing in here bothering Andrew?"

"I... I was just leaving, Father." She replied meekly. Then she got up and silently left the room.

Once the young girl was gone, John walked over to Andrew's bedside. "How are you feeling this morning, lad?" He asked the angel, and acted as if nothing had happened with Samuel the evening before.

"I am feeling a little better, Mr. Chandler." Andrew replied weakly, though trying to sound stronger. "Thank you."

John cocked his head. "I hear you had an interesting evening." He commented.

Andrew shot Tess a horrified look, but she smiled and shook her head and he breathed a sigh of relief as John continued.

"Tess did inform me that you attempted to get up and go to the store this morning. But let me say, I will not have it." John said kindly, yet firmly. "I can tell just by looking at you that you are not ready to leave your bed. So this is where I want you to stay until Tess or Mary tells you otherwise. An ill apprentice is no use to me, and I would much rather you stay in bed, rest, and get well. Perhaps you can join me this afternoon."

Andrew nodded. "Yes sir." He said quietly. "I will do that."

John smiled. "Good. Well, I just wanted to stop up and check on you before I left. But I must be getting to the store now." He turned to leave, but before he passed through the doorway, he reminded Andrew to rest once again. The man then walked out quietly and both angels left in the room could hear the burden in the shopkeeper's footsteps.

As the sound of the shopkeeper's footsteps faded away, Andrew glanced at Tess. "He did not act like a thing was bothering him, Tess." He commented quietly once the man was out of ear shot.

Tess nodded. "He is a prideful man, Andrew. To him, you are just an apprentice. You are just a young man living in his house that he teaches to run a store. He may not ever directly tell you what is bothering him, but you can still help him. You must. Besides," She smiled. "It seems you have found a fine communication leak through little Sarah."

"She does seem to like me somewhat." Andrew commented observantly.

Tess chuckled and had a seat back down in the rocking chair beside him. "If only you knew, baby, if only you knew." Her smile faded some and she picked up the bowl of porridge. "Now what do you say we try some of this?"

Andrew grimaced at the thought of food going into his stomach. "I don't know, Tess. Do I have to? My stomach is really not feeling so well."

"Baby, you've got to eat something. This human form of yours relies on food." Tess pointed out. "Now, let's just try a little bit." She held up a small spoonful of porridge.

Seeing he did not have much choice in the matter, Andrew reluctantly opened his mouth and allowed Tess to spoon a bit of the food inside. It tasted alright, he noticed, but he really did not feel like eating. His stomach was still feeling uneasy from the night before.

"What do you think?" Tess asked him expectantly.

He shrugged. "I don't know, Tess... It's all right, I suppose. I just don't think my stomach is up to eating anything right now. It still feels kind of..."

"Sensitive?" She guessed. When he nodded, she continued. "I know, baby, and I won't make you eat the whole bowl. But you do have to eat a few more bites. Now, come on. It's for your own good."

Andrew nodded and once again reluctantly opened his mouth, allowing Tess to spoon a few more bites of porridge in. Finally, after a few more minutes, the younger angel could take no more food or risk upsetting his stomach once again. He profusely told his supervisor this and she agreed.

"All right." She sighed, setting the bowl down on the bedside table. "I suppose you've had enough. We don't want to load you up too fast. How are you feeling now that you've eaten?"

Andrew pushed himself up a bit higher. "A little better." He answered truthfully. "Does that mean I can go to the store now?" In anticipation he flung the quilt off himself and began to make the move to stand up.

Tess held her hand up and shook her head. "Not so fast, Mr. Halo. I want to see how that belly of yours is going to handle that breakfast. Besides," She sent him a meaningful gaze, which he, in turn, dropped uneasily. "You and I need to have a discussion."

Andrew had a feeling he knew what the conversation would be about and he gulped nervously. Using his hands, he scooted himself back into his spot and timidly pulled the quilts back over his body. He sighed as he waited for Tess to start.

"I think you know what this is about." Tess began. When Andrew nodded meekly, she continued. "This is about last night and why you're sick."

"I know why I am sick, Tess." Andrew sighed. "I drank that... what was it? Brandy?"

She nodded firmly. "Yes, you did. Andrew, brandy has alcohol in it. Too much of that stuff is not good for anybody; especially angels who have jobs to do. It makes your brain act strange and you can do some pretty foolish things. I suggest you stay away from it."

"But, Tess, I didn't even know it _had_ alcohol in it. You didn't tell me." He pointed out. "And Mr. Chandler didn't tell me either."

"Of course he didn't." The supervisor stated. "Andrew, he would never even think that he would have to tell you such a thing. To him, that would be common sense and you would all ready know that."

"But I didn't." Andrew defended himself quietly.

"No, you didn't." Tess agreed, her face softening. "Angel Boy, you have not spent great lengths of time here on this earth before. Because of this, you lack the worldly experience that most humans already have. But that's not necessarily a bad thing."

"It's not?" Andrew's eyebrows wrinkled.

She shook her head. "Andrew, there are definitely some things you need to learn about this world and humans; such as differences between tea and brandy. But there are some things that you don't need to learn about. There are some things that, as an angel, you need to stay away from and never need to experience."

"Like what?" Andrew asked his green eyes innocently inquisitive.

Tess chuckled and stood up from her chair. "You think about the answer to that question yourself, Angel Boy." She replied. "While you take a nap."

A look of immediate protest appeared on the bedridden angel's face. "A nap? But Tess, I'm tired of lying in bed. I want to get to work on my assignment."

"You should have thought about that before you drank those brandies last night." Tess reminded him. "I know it's no fun being sick, but what lesson can you take away from this?"

Andrew sighed unhappily. "That I never want to go into a tavern again." He mumbled.

"I'm afraid you may not be able to manage that one." Tess shook her head and motioned for him to lie down. He did so reluctantly and she pulled the quilts up over him. "But how about this one: Don't drink something if you are not sure what it is exactly. That's a rule everyone should follow. Not just angels. And as for you..." She added, looking thoughtful as she smiled softly at him. "I don't want you drinking anything at all except for milk, tea, or water. At least for a while."

Andrew nodded and as he laid there on his back, he was slightly aware of some slight churning in his stomach once again. "I'm sorry, Tess." He said quietly. "I made a mistake, but I'll try to never do it again. I mean it." He added.

"That is all anyone could ask of you." Tess said softly, and she picked up the now cold bowl of porridge. "I'm going downstairs now. Mrs. Chandler needs some help. I want you to rest and I'll be up to check on you in a little bit."

Andrew nodded and when his supervisor left he sighed quietly. He could feel his stomach getting a little queasier now that he had eaten and though his head was still throbbing a bit, he could think much more clearly than he had been able to the night before.

He snuggled down further underneath the quilts and let his mind drift to his assignment. How horrible it was for Elizabeth to be forced to marry someone, just because his political beliefs matched those of her father's. That was not fair. Not right at all.

Samuel and Micah seemed to be both fine young men, in Andrew's opinion. Should the young girl not get to decide for herself whom she would rather marry? Was it really such a big deal that Elizabeth and Samuel had been forced to meet in secret? These were the questions that ran through the angel's mind as he laid there, eyes closed, in bed that morning.


	19. Chapter 19

_Some of you mentioned that you wished Andrew had talked more with Sarah. Well here ya go! ;-)_

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

Andrew continued to lay in in bed and after a few minutes, footsteps could be heard in the doorway of the bedroom and he opened his eyes expectantly. There stood Sarah once again. A smile played on her face and Andrew could not help but offer her a weak smile back.

"Hello." She whispered. "Did I wake you up?" She asked him quietly, making no moves to enter the room.

He shook his head. "No, Tess told me I should sleep, but I hadn't quite got there. It is all right. You can come in."

Smiling shyly, she entered slowly and sat down beside him in the very popular rocking chair.

"I really am very sorry that you're sick, Andrew." She told him sincerely. "I wish there was something I could do to help you."

"Well, to be truthful." Andrew replied quietly. "Some company would be nice. I don't much like being left up here all alone with only my thoughts and upset stomach to keep me company."

"I could stay up here with you, if you would like. I could keep you company." Sarah offered eagerly, though she tried to hide the excitement. "Would you like that?"

Andrew nodded and closed his eyes wearily. "That would be wonderful, Sarah. Perhaps you could speak to me about some things."

"Like what?" She asked, her face beaming with happiness because she had been invited to stay with Andrew.

"Would you mind discussing our earlier topic?" Andrew asked carefully. "You know... about your sister? I really would like to help her, if I can."

Sarah nodded. "Of course, Andrew, and I am so grateful for whatever help you can be. My father is... he is very stubborn and I'm afraid he will never allow Elizabeth to marry Samuel. You know how very set he is on Micah."

"Micah is not a bad young man." Andrew observed softly, more to himself than to anybody else.

Sarah nodded. "No, he is not. He's very kind and would make a wonderful husband for Elizabeth. But... she loves Samuel."

"She loves Micah, as well." Andrew stated.

Sarah nodded. "I know. It must be terrible for her love to be pulled in so many different directions. If only Father would allow her to marry either of them, things would be simpler I think."

Andrew had to agree. "I am willing to speak to your father about this, Sarah," He explained. "But your sister asked that I did not."

"You spoke to her about this?" She asked in surprise.

Andrew nodded and tried to ignore the growing nausea is his stomach. "I did just two nights ago. But she asked that I kept quiet about this around your father."

Sarah's face brightened. "Yes, but that was before Father knew that she was seeing Samuel. Perhaps she would feel differently now that he has found out."

"That's true." Andrew shrugged. "You may be right, Sarah."

The angel winced as his stomach lurched and Sarah caught on to this. "Andrew, are you all right?" She asked him, concern evident in her voice. "You do not look so good, if you do not mind me saying so."

"I'll be fine," Andrew mumbled. "I'm just learning an important lesson is all."

Sarah cocked her head. "What is that?"

Andrew laid his hands on his lower stomach where he could feel his breakfast churning. "I am learning that I never need to drink another alcoholic drink for a long, long time. If ever." He added.

"My father never gets sick over brandies." Sarah commented. "You must be very sensitive, Andrew."

"It seems I am," Andrew blushed. "I will have to be careful about what I drink in the future."

Suddenly, there was another sound of footsteps in the doorway. Andrew and Sarah both looked up to find Elizabeth standing quietly there. She looked worried and tired and seeing this made Andrew immediately forget about his own ailments and he wished to help her.

"Sarah," Elizabeth said quietly. "What are you doing up here, bothering Andrew? I thought I heard Tess tell Mother that he was up here taking a nap. You did not wake him, did you?"

Sarah shook her head. "No, I did not. He was already awake." Andrew nodded to confirm this and the Sarah asked her sister a question. "And besides, what are you doing up here then?"

Elizabeth blushed. "Well, to be honest, I was hoping to find you awake." She said to Andrew. "I wanted to speak with you about something, if you are well enough."

Andrew nodded. "I think I'm up to it." He smiled softly. Then added quietly. "But please don't tell Tess. She'll have a fit if she knows I'm awake yet."

Elizabeth glanced curiously at Sarah, and the younger shook her head defensively. "Believe me, Elizabeth. I won't say a word."

"You told Father about me and Samuel." Elizabeth pointed out.

Again, Sarah shook her head. "He made me, Lizzie. I didn't want to. I tried to keep your secret. I didn't want to tell."

The older sister's face softened. "I know, Sarah, and I'm sorry I got you into trouble." She glanced over at Andrew, who was lying silently in his bed, watching them. Then she glanced back at Sarah. "Do you think you could leave us alone for a little bit? I want to ask Andrew something."

Sarah glanced over at Andrew and when he nodded, she turned back to her sister with a sigh. "Fine. I will leave. But only for a little bit."

Sarah then turned around and left the room quietly. Once she was gone, Elizabeth turned to Andrew with a worried expression on her face. Quietly, she sat down in the rocking chair next to Andrew's bed.

"I don't want to bother you." She started out quietly, looking a little unsure of where else to start. "I know that you're sick..."

"I'm not _that_ sick anymore." Andrew reasoned quickly.

"...and that Tess left you up here to rest." She finished, a small smile playing on her lips. She cocked her head slightly. "Besides, you still don't look quite well yet, if you ask me. A little peaked." She observed.

Andrew shook his head. "Alright, I am not yet feeling quite one-hundred percent." He admitted. "But I am feeling better than I was last night. Now, please Elizabeth, you wanted to talk to me about something. Didn't you?"

"I do." With a sigh, she nodded. Nervously, she began to finger the edge of the quilt that hung off the bed. "Andrew, do you remember the other night... when you offered to talk to my father about Samuel and... and me?"

"I do." Andrew confirmed quietly.

"Well, would you..." Elizabeth stammered uneasily. "What I mean to say is would you mind...?"

"Would you like me to try and talk to your father, Elizabeth?" Andrew filled in the rest of her sentence. He tried to hide the eagerness he could feel inside.

She nodded. "Would you mind, Andrew?"

He shook his head. "Not at all. I'll be happy to try."

"He may not even listen though." The young lady commented, as she stared long and hard at an invisible spot on the quilts.

"I know." Andrew said quietly, as the activity in his stomach started once again. "But he just may, Elizabeth. God works in mysterious ways. We may both be pleasantly surprised." He sounded hopeful. "But let me ask you something."

She looked at him expectantly.

"Do you love Micah?" He asked bluntly.

"Aye." Surprised, she nodded. "Of course I do."

"And Samuel?" Andrew asked weakly. Oh, how he wished his stomach would settle back down!

"I love him too." Elizabeth answered truthfully. She didn't seem to notice the nauseated look that had slowly begun to creep onto Andrew's face, causing him to miss most of what she said next.

"What I really want is a _choice_, Andrew. I am so confused right now. I respect my father's opinion very much and I do think that Micah would be such a wonderful husband. But Samuel is very dear to me as well. If my father would only accept him, then I would... Andrew?" She paused, as she caught sight of the clearly sick expression on Andrew's face. "Andrew, are you alright?"

He grimaced "Yes, of course. I'll be fine, Elizabeth."

The young lady did not look so sure and she stood up from her chair slowly. "Pardon me for saying so, but you do not look very well."

Andrew was about to reply to her, but a sudden lurch in his stomach caused his words to only come out in a gasp.

Seeing this, Elizabeth turned quickly to the bedroom door. "I am going to get Tess, Andrew." She told him. "I do not believe you are as well as you say you are."

The angel felt too sick to protest and as soon as the young woman left, he immediately curled himself into a ball just as he had the evening before.

It was only moments later when Tess hurried into the room, followed by both Elizabeth and Sarah. Tess, seeing the state her charge was in, went to his side right away.

"Andrew?" She asked him softly. "What's wrong? Is it your stomach again?"

Andrew nodded, but only slightly. His face glistened with sweat and he felt like he was about to lose the small bit of breakfast he had just eaten.

The older angel sighed. "I thought so." She turned to the sisters standing behind her. "Ladies, I believe your mother needs help downstairs with some things. If you would go down and help her, that would be wonderful. Just let me tend to him for a few moments and I will be down to give you all a hand."

The sisters did not argue with Tess and simply turned around and left the room, giving Andrew some space and privacy that Tess was sure he appreciated. Once they were gone, Tess turned to Andrew and sat down in the chair beside him. She could see the same anguished look on his face that he had worn the night before, so she simply just laid her hand on the angel's back, waiting and praying that his nausea would soon pass.

* * *

Mary Chandler stood at the table downstairs in the kitchen, silently kneading some dough for bread that evening. All was mostly quiet in the house, for the children were outside and her eldest daughters were now hanging up laundry on the clothes line. She would have normally talked with Tess while they both took care of the house each day, but at that moment the older woman was upstairs tending to the new apprentice. 

Not that Mary minded. In fact, she was enjoying the quiet that she rarely got most of the time. It gave her time to think and at that moment all she could think about was the discussion she had with Tess the evening before.

Tess made a lot of good points, Mary had decided. She loved all her children very much and Elizabeth's best interest was definitely on the mother's mind. She wanted her daughter to be happy, even if that meant marrying a Loyalist, which John was sure to hate.

With a sigh, Mary tossed a cloth over the large lump of dough to let it rise. She wiped her hands on her apron and then carefully took it off, draping it over the back of a chair. She had made up her mind. She was going to talk with John. She had to make him understand. She had to make him give their daughter permission to marry either man she chose. Patriot or Loyalist.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

It did not take Mary long to leave her house and reach her husband's store. They did not live very far away from it at all. On her way out, Mary had let Tess know where she was going. She hadn't said what she was going there to do, but she had a good feeling that Tess knew. When Mary had poked her head into the bedroom upstairs to talk with Tess, she had noticed that Andrew seemed to be sleeping peacefully. That had relieved her, as she knew that he was not sleeping much, as sick as he was.

That fact still baffled her, though she did not spend very much time focusing on it. They had had many interesting and different young men apprentice in her husband's shop over the years. But Andrew was more unique than any of them, she had found; though she had not spent a great deal of time talking with him. How could he have gotten so very sick over a few brandies? It seemed strange, at best, but the doctor had not made much out of it. Simply labeling the young man alcohol intolerant, the doctor seemed content with the theory. Mary trusted the doctor was correct and knew what he was talking about, but she still couldn't get past the fact that never before had she heard of anyone with such a low tolerance. But her thoughts on this subject were quickly interrupted when she reached the front of her husband's store.

She took a deep breath as she stared at the door. What she was going to say to him was very important. She had to say it and the matter needed to be discussed. She knew that John would probably be angry at her for even suggesting such a thing, but Mary did not let this stop her. Talking one last deep breath, Mary hurried up the stairs and pushed through the door into the shop.

Stepping inside, she was relieved to see that no one was there. It appeared to be empty, except for John who was busily dusting off some shelves; something she was sure he would have had Andrew doing if he had been there.

When the man heard someone come inside, he turned around and was surprised to find his wife standing in the door. He instantly noted the serious look on her face and he became concerned.

"Mary," He started. He laid down his dusting cloth and made his way over to her. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

"John, we need to talk." Mary stated. "It is important. It concerns your daughter."

An angry look came over John's face. "Oh no. We are not discussing that, Mary. Elizabeth went behind my back to see that Loyalist... what is his name?"

"Samuel Carroll." Mary reminded him quietly. "John, he is not a bad young man. I have spoken with him before, though I did not know he had an interest in our daughter. He and his family both seem like very good people."

"No!" John argued angrily. "They are Loyalists. Loyalists, Mary! I will not have my family socializing with people who support that... that king we are working to rid ourselves of!"

"Not even if your daughter happens to love one of these Loyalists?" Mary asked softly, though she was not anywhere near backing down from her opinion.

"Elizabeth will marry Micah. Micah is a good man. He is a strong Patriot and his loyalty lies with our colonies. Not with the king." John stated as he tried to control his anger. "He loves our daughter, Mary." He added his voice and face softening.

"And she loves him as well." Mary replied, looking her husband gently in the eye. "But, John, she loves Samuel too. She wants your permission to marry him, if that should come to be her wish. She is not ready to devote her life to Micah. She does not know yet what she wants."

"I thought she wanted to marry Micah." John said a glint of confusion showing in his serious eyes.

"She is still very young," Mary reminded her husband. "She needs some time, John. I know that you will not accept Samuel as a young man that you deem admirable or honorable. But please accept him as a caring, loving young man whom your daughter finds these qualities in. Give her a chance, John. Give her a chance to openly know both of these young men and decide for herself which path she will choose to take."

The shopkeeper look torn and he gently laid his hands on his wife's shoulder. He did not know what to say. He had been seething with anger ever since he had discovered Elizabeth out with Samuel. But now... now he could see the look on his wife's face and the hope she was holding out was clearly seen in her eyes. He knew that Mary was right. He could not accept the young man himself, but he could at least give his daughter permission to. He loved his daughter and if that meant allowing her to marry a Loyalist, then so be it. As much as John hated to do it, he couldn't bear to go another route.

"Fine." John let out a deep breath he had not even realized he was holding. "I will give her permission to see Samuel."

Mary's face broke into a smile. "Will you? Oh, thank you John. You're a wonderful father."

John shook his head. "I would not say that, Mary." He replied quietly. "But I do love Elizabeth. In the end, if she wishes to marry this Loyalist, then so be it. But I am afraid I will never be able to accept him as a son."

* * *

Only a few hours later, Andrew opened his eyes to find that he had fallen asleep. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he tried to recall the last thing he remembered. He knew had been talking with Elizabeth. But then he had gotten sick and Tess had come up to sit with him. She must have sat with him until he fell asleep; because that was really the last thing he could clearly remember.

Suddenly he remembered his talk with Elizabeth. That's right; she had given him permission to speak with her father! Remembering this gave Andrew a burst of enthusiasm. He noted that his stomach was no longer feeling queasy and a quick glance around the room proved that he was alone.

_Tess must have gone back down stairs_, Andrew mused.

He closed his eyes for a moment and was happy to realize that he felt so much better. In fact, he felt about as well as he had two days before. Well, almost as well. He still didn't trust himself to eat much.

Cautiously, Andrew pushed himself up into a sitting position. He prepared himself, but the pounding headache he expected never came. A smile now on the angel's face, he glanced around the room, hoping for a clue as to where his clothes had been put. He was very eager to get to the store so that he could talk the shopkeeper into allowing his daughter to marry Samuel Carroll. But it only took a quick look for Andrew to come to the conclusion that his things were obviously not in the room. With a sigh, he laid back down against the pillows. He would have to wait until someone came back up. He wasn't sure how long he had been sleeping, but he hoped someone would be up soon. He was ready to get out of bed.

As he lied there, he subconsciously fidgeted with the quilt that covered him and tried to begin rehearsing in his mind what he would say to John. It would have to be convincing, there was no doubt about that. Andrew knew how stubborn his assignment was and he knew that it was not going to be easy getting the man to change his mind.

With a worried sigh, Andrew closed his eyes. "Father," He began praying quietly. "You know that I have been sick, and I know how I got this way. I just wanted to say that I am sorry. Please forgive me, Father. Trust me; I'll be much more careful for now on.

"I haven't been quite sure what exactly I am supposed to do throughout these last few days." Andrew continued. "But I think I may know now. I need to get John Chandler to give his daughter permission to marry a Loyalist. But he is a stubborn man, Father, and I cannot convince him alone. Please give me the right words to say to him. Amen."

Just as Andrew finished praying he heard a small laugh come from the doorway of his bedroom. Glancing up, he saw Sarah Chandler standing quietly, just outside the room. She wore a small smile on her face as she watched him.

"Andrew, are you talking to yourself?" She asked, coming into the room. She laid a hand on his cool forehead. "You really must be sick."

Andrew smiled and shook his head. "No, actually I was praying, Sarah."

"Praying?" Sarah asked. "Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt you."

"That's all right. I was done." He shrugged. "Actually, I am feeling much better."

"That's wonderful." The girl smiled. "You've been asleep for a while. Tess asked me to come up here and check on you."

Andrew nodded. "Thank you, you can tell her that I am feeling much better now. As a matter of fact," He said. "I think I may be able to head on over to your father's store now."

"Are you sure?" Sarah questioned. "You looked pretty sick when you first went to sleep."

"Did I?" The angel asked. When she nodded, he shrugged. "I don't remember much. But I was feeling pretty sick. I'm much better now though and I think your father would appreciate it if I went over to give him a hand. Sarah, would you mind asking Tess to come up here, please?"

She smiled and nodded. "Aye, of course." She turned to the door again and soon disappeared out of the room.

Andrew sighed happily as he watched the girl leave. She was a pleasant child, like all of the Chandler children. He was really enjoying his time there with his assignment. He just hoped he could do what it was the Father had sent him there to do. It would be a shame to have to watch this wonderful family fall apart.

A few moments later Tess came into the bedroom, a smile on her face. "Sarah tells me you're awake and itching to go, Angel Boy."

Andrew nodded. "I am feeling a lot better, Tess." He told her. "My head doesn't hurt, my stomach feels fine. I think I can get up and go now."

"Do you?" Tess cocked her head to one side. She stepped over next to him and laid her hand on his forehead. After a pause, she nodded satisfactorily. "You're not running a fever. I am not even sure how you got one last night. It must have been from the rain..."

"So can I go?" Andrew asked, not even bothering to hide his eagerness.

"Do you think you can eat something?" Tess asked, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Aw, Tess, I don't know..." Andrew protested. "I feel fine, and last time I ate I _did_ get sick. Besides, I'm not all that hungry."

Tess shook her head. "I am going to bring you up something small to eat. I don't want you going to work on an empty stomach when you just came away from being sick all night. If you can eat a little something and still feel 'fine', then you may go."

Andrew sighed and nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But I'm still not all that hungry."

"We'll see." Tess said and then left the room to go get some food.

A few minutes later, Tess entered the room and sat a plate of food on the nightstand beside Andrew's bed. Despite how wonderful the bread and little bit of stew may have looked two days ago, he grimaced. It really did not appeal to him at that moment. But as long as Tess was within earshot, he did not complain. He was worried that then he would have to wait even longer to go talk to John.

"Do I have to eat all of it?" Andrew asked quietly, glancing up at Tess, who stood there expectantly.

She shook her head. "Just eat what you can, baby. I'm not asking you to stuff yourself. I'm just asking you to put some food into that stomach of yours. Now I'll be back up in a little while. Take your time." She added, though she had a feeling he wouldn't.

She left the room and Andrew stared miserably at the food beside him. He was feeling better, he really was. He didn't want to eat anything, but if that was what it was going to take for him to get out of the house, then he would do it.

Slowly, he picked up the plate of food and took a small nibble at the piece of fresh bread. It tasted all right, he decided, but he still could not help but think of how sick his stomach had been before. None the less, he pushed these thoughts away and continued eating.

Ten minutes later, he was done. He could not eat anymore or he knew he would be sick. He was just sitting the half empty plate back down beside him when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Soon Tess appeared in the doorway. She looked at him expectantly.

"I'm done, Tess." He told her. "I cannot eat anymore. But I did eat about half of what you gave me."

The older angel nodded with approval. "And how do you feel?" She asked him, taking a step into the bedroom.

"I feel pretty good, Tess." Andrew told her surely. Truthfully, his stomach was feeling just a little bit queasy since he had eaten, but not enough to really bother him. He wasn't about to admit that and risk staying in bed for a few more hours.

"Alright," Tess smiled and turned towards the bedroom door. "Let me go downstairs and get you some clean clothes and then you can go."

As Tess left, Andrew smiled happily. His stomach churned very slightly, but the angel ignored it easily. He wasn't all that sick anymore and he was finally going to get to go back to the store. He couldn't wait to talk to the shopkeeper. Considering this, Andrew sent up another prayer to the Father, thanking him for his healing and asking for words of wisdom with his assignment.


	21. Chapter 21

_Thanks again for all the reviews. I'm really enjoying the comments and appreciate all of you taking the time to let me know how you like this story. You all rock!**  
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* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One**

A few moments later, Tess came back into in the bedroom. In her arms she held the breeches, shirt, and waistcoat that Andrew had been wearing the day before. But they looked much cleaner and when she dropped them into Andrew's arms he could instantly tell by the smell that they had been hanging outside in the fresh morning air.

"Thanks, Tess." He grinned sheepishly. "You know, I've had a lot of time to think since I've been in bed all night and all this morning. And I've been talking with Sarah and Elizabeth as well."

"And?" The supervisor asked. She went to the window where a basin sat on a table and she poured some hot soapy water into it for Andrew to wash with.

"And I think I know exactly what to do about my assignment now." He replied.

"Oh really?" Tess crossed her arms.

He nodded. "Yes, and I am going to go talk with Mr. Chandler right now. But I do have one question for you."

She cocked her head and waited for him to continue.

"Tess, when do I tell my assignment that I am angel? Do I ever?" He asked.

"Well, sometimes you will tell them and sometimes they never find out who it was that they were really interacting with." Tess answered patiently. "But you will know if and when the time comes, Andrew. You will."

He nodded, satisfied with the answer. Tess then handed him a comb, turned and silently left him alone in the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. As soon as she was gone, Andrew stood up slowly, in fear of feeling that same pain in his head as he had earlier that morning. But there was no pain and Andrew quickly went about getting dressed to go into town.

It only took him a few moments to locate his shoes, which were sitting on the floor at the end of the bed. And though it took him a bit longer to run the comb through his tangled and disheveled hair, he was on his way down the staircase in a number of minutes, buttoning his waistcoat as he went.

Just as he reached the bottom of the steps, Mary Chandler came in from outside through the front door and into the foyer. She smiled when she saw Andrew up and dressed. "Good afternoon, Andrew." She said to him, as she removed the hat she wore. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yes ma'am," He nodded. "I am, thank you. In fact, I was on my way to your husband's store right now."

"I am sure he will be glad for your help." She said. "I was just there myself and though it seemed slow, it is sure to get busier this afternoon. But I am glad to hear that you are not feeling so bad anymore. It does concern me though that you became so sick after only a little bit of drinking."

"Yes ma'am. I am sorry I worried you." He told her softly. "To be honest, I did not know that it would make me so sick. But I do want to thank you for allowing me to sleep upstairs last night and opening up your home to me."

"You are more than welcome, Andrew." She told him with a smile that met her eyes. "I am just glad that you are feeling better. But do let me know if there is anything else that may make you sick. We would not want you to take ill again."

Andrew nodded his head. "Aye, I will do that, though I don't think there is anything else."

The woman then wished Andrew well and a good day; then left the room just as Tess was coming in.

"Are you ready?" She asked Andrew, who looked like he was just itching to get out of the house.

"I am, Tess." He told her surely. "I promised Elizabeth that I would help her. She is counting on me."

Tess gave him a small smile. "Well, then you best do as you promised that young lady, Angel Boy. But remember; only God knows what this family needs. Don't get so caught up in your assignment, that you misunderstand what it is about."

Andrew looked at the older angel strangely. "I am not misunderstanding it, Tess." He told her, his green eyes sincere. "I've been praying and I've been talking with Sarah and Elizabeth. I am sure I know exactly what is going on and I know what I have to do to fix it."

"Do you?" Tess looked amused.

Andrew just nodded and Tess sighed with a small shake of her head.

"Just be careful and make sure you think things through. Don't jump to any conclusions that may not be as they seem." She advised him. She cocked her head and studied him carefully. "Are you sure you're feeling well enough to go out?" She asked him.

He nodded quickly. "Tess, I am feeling fine. Nearly perfect." He added, with the most convincing face he could muster.

"Well, if you're sure," She sighed, handing him his hat. "Now go on, I am sure Mr. Chandler could use some assistance."

Andrew nodded. "I'm going." He turned to leave, but paused when he reached the door. He looked at his supervisor surely. "I feel fine, Tess. I mean it." And with those words, he slipped out the front door, closing it behind him.

Tess shook her head as the front door closed. And she could not help but smile a bit. Andrew could have told her he felt 'fine' a hundred more times, but she knew him better than that. She knew him well enough to know that he was probably still feeling a little sick, but that he was much too eager to work on his assignment to admit he was not completely better.

But Tess didn't say anything to him about it. She simply shook her head with amusement and returned to the kitchen to finish darning some stockings.

* * *

It wasn't long before Andrew reached the store. He had met up with Sarah and Elizabeth outside the house when he left and told them that he was planning on talking with their Father. They had been pleased to hear that, though Elizabeth still hadn't sounded too confident that it would work.

But Andrew was. In fact, he was almost sure. With this confidence, he hurried up the front steps and though the door into Mr. Chandler's shop.

There was no one inside when Andrew entered except for the store keeper himself, who was seated on a stool behind the counter. The man looked up when he heard the door open and upon seeing Andrew, his face broke into a wide smile.

"Andrew," He greeted the angel, shutting the book he held as he stood up. "Are you feeling better, lad?"

Andrew nodded. "Yes sir, I am. Thank you for asking."

"I am pleased to see you up and about." The shopkeeper stated. "We are slow right now, but we were quite busy earlier today and I am sure that we will be busy later. I'll be glad for your help."

"Yes sir; and I am sorry that I was not here to help you." The angel apologized.

John shook his head. "Do not trouble yourself about that. Everyone gets ill at times. You are no exception." He smiled kindly. "Now, why don't you come help me with some figures in the back?"

Andrew nodded and followed the shopkeeper into the back room.

* * *

Andrew sighed as he glanced over at John, who was assisting some women with a purchase. It was later that afternoon, and just as the storekeeper had said, the store had been very busy. This frustrated Andrew a bit, for he was very eager to discuss Elizabeth with John. It just didn't seem like the opportune moment ever arrived. Every time the angel would open his mouth to start the conversation, then somebody else would come walking into the store.

Of course, the business was good for John; and Andrew was glad the man was getting it. But he couldn't help but feel that he had more important matters on hand. With a sigh, the angel shook his head. He was trying to be patient, but it was getting less and less easy as the day wore on.

A few minutes later, the last customer in the store finally left. Andrew was relieved to see them go and he hoped that no one else would decide to come in for a while. But he also knew that if he was going to talk to John, he had better start soon.

"Mr. Chandler," Andrew started quietly, after a few moments of silence. "Could I discuss something with you?"

John nodded and Andrew suddenly felt bad about the topic he was about to bring up. The shopkeeper had been in somewhat of a pleasant mood since Andrew had arrived in the store. The angel hated to make the man angry and hoped it would not turn out too badly. Silently Andrew sent up a quick prayer once again.

"Sir, I know that I am just an apprentice to you," Andrew began, taking a deep breath. "I also understand that you probably will not take anything I have to say as a great deal of importance. But I feel that you must hear what it is I have to say. If you would give me permission to voice some opinions, sir, about things that do not concern me."

Now John looked more than curious about what his apprentice could possibly have to say. Intrigued, he nodded slowly. "Of course, Andrew." He granted permission. "Speak your mind, lad. I will not condemn you for it."

Andrew took a deep breath. "I have only been here a few days, sir, but I have been observing your family. Elizabeth especially."

John cocked his head. "Andrew, lad, my daughter has been very kind to you; but you are aware that is most likely that my daughter will be wed to Micah Hambling, are you not?"

Andrew nodded quickly. "Yes sir, I am; and though that is what I wished to speak to you about." He paused, and then continued. "I know I was very ill last night, but I could not help but overhear that Elizabeth had been outside speaking with Samuel Carroll. I also know that you were quite angry about that." The angel added quietly.

"Aye, that is true." John confirmed. "But what is it you are getting at?"

"Sir, I know that you and everybody else seem to think that Elizabeth and Micah are wonderful for one another. And while I can see why you would all say that, I think that you need to know that your daughter loves Samuel as well. She... she wants to marry him, I believe." Andrew said softly, willing himself not to break eye contact with the shopkeeper.

For his part, John was in shock. Had his apprentice just said what he thought he just said? But he had and the man did not know what to think of it. Hadn't his wife just come in only hours ago suggesting that he allow Elizabeth to see Samuel freely? She had and John had finally agreed on the proposal. So why on earth was his apprentice in here suggesting nearly the same exact thing? It baffled the shopkeeper, to say the least.

"Andrew, whatever would make you even suggest such a thing?" John asked when he finally regained his ability to speak.

What could Andrew say? His obvious answer to him was "I am an angel. God sent me here to help you and your family", but that just wouldn't do right now. Not yet. So he came up with the next best thing.

"Sir, I have been merely observing," Andrew replied. "Elizabeth does not say much with her voice, but her eyes... they say so much more, if you would only look into them. If you would allow me to be blunt here, sir, let me suggest you give Elizabeth a chance. She needs it. Do not bind her to a marriage just yet. If you do, she may never be happy."

John looked thoughtful as he considered his apprentice's words. Normally he would have been angry for someone to nose into his personal affairs like that, but considering the fact that Mary had come in earlier suggesting similar things, John could not help but think that there must be some truth in it. And still, as much as he hated it, he had already given in to the idea. He would tell Elizabeth that evening that she could visit with Samuel. Though that would not change the fact that he continue to hate all Loyalists.

"Andrew," John finally said, looking into the eyes of his apprentice. "While I am surprised that you dared to even consider suggesting such things, I suppose you did make a few good points in what you said."

Not knowing how to reply to that, Andrew remained silent and waited for the man to continue.

"I still despise any man who dares to believe that we should still obey orders from the king, but I do wish for my daughter to be happy. If she wishes to marry a Loyalist, then I suppose I will eventually learn to get over the fact, though the lad would never mean the same thing to me as Micah would." John explained. "But I have noticed that she seems a bit distant from Micah as of lately. And if what you say about she and Samuel is true, and I believe it is credible after last evening, then I will grant her permission this evening to see that Loyalist."

Andrew's green eyes widened. "You will, sir? That is wonderful!"

John shook his head and sighed. "Yes, well... It seems to be a pressing matter today." He thought of his earlier conversation with his wife and how he had already agreed to give his permission, but did not mention it to Andrew. The lad seemed to know too much already, is it was. "That is enough conversation for now, Andrew. Get back to your work.

"Yes sir." Andrew replied quietly, picking up a broom that was leaning against the wall. While his voice was quiet, inside he was jumping for joy. He had done it! It had been so much easier than he expected it would be, but he did it. Elizabeth was going to get to marry Samuel Carroll and he had completed his first assignment successfully.

With a smile on his face, Andrew set to sweeping the floor. He couldn't wait to tell Tess the news. Wouldn't she be surprised?


	22. Chapter 22

_Wow, 70 reviews! Thank you all for keeping up with this! It's great to get this kind of encouragement! Cookies for all of you! And, no, I didn't make them, so you're safe. ;-)_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Later that night, Andrew once again sat with the Chandler family at their dining room table. He had finally gained some of his appetite back, but now he just could not bring himself to eat. He was much too anxious for John to tell Elizabeth that she could visit with Samuel Carroll freely. As far as Andrew knew, the shopkeeper had yet to say anything about it to anyone in the family and the angel had not even told Tess yet.

Anxiously, Andrew squirmed in his chair. How long would he have to wait? He was almost afraid to relax and let himself feel glad about finishing his assignment until after John had told his daughter of his changed mind. Until then, there was still the chance that he would decide against it. But though Andrew knew it could happen, he was not overly concerned about it. He had a good feeling that John would follow through with what he said.

After a little while longer at the table, everyone eventually finished supper and moved into the parlor to sit together. Andrew was beginning to grow impatient, but he did very well at hiding it. He just sat quietly and listened to the conversation around him.

"The store was quite busy today," John commented, taking out his pipe and lighting it. "I was very grateful for Andrew's assistance this afternoon. He is a big help to me."

Andrew blushed slightly at the compliment, yet said nothing.

"We're all glad you are feeling better, Andrew." Mary smiled at the angel kindly, as she picked up some sewing. "I know everyone was quite concerned for you last night."

"Speaking of which," John announced meaningfully, as he took the pipe out of his mouth. "Elizabeth, dear, I have been thinking and I have come to a conclusion about a matter that I imagine will interest you a great deal."

Knowing about the subject on hand, Andrew quickly glanced over at the shopkeeper's eldest daughter. It was obvious that she was still certain that her father was angry with her and she looked apprehensive.

"Yes, Father?" She asked softly, her eyes not quite meeting those of her father's.

"I have been giving last evening quite a bit of thought today," John began. He glanced around the room at the people listening to him speak. "And while you must understand that I am still completely against any Loyalist, I am going to give you permission to see that Samuel Carroll, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's eyes widened, along with those of her younger siblings. Mary just smiled happily and Andrew wore a subtle pleased look on his face.

"As much as I resent those who are loyal to the king, I am not going to jeopardize my daughter's happiness because of it." John concluded, though it was not easy for him to declare such things.

"Father, thank you so much!" A smile broke out across Elizabeth's face and she hurried to embrace her father. "You do not know how much this means to me. But... but what about Micah? I do not wish to hurt his feelings."

John just shook his head. "I understand that, Lizzie, and I will speak with both lads together tomorrow afternoon. As a matter of fact, it may be beneficial for you to be there as well."

Mary looked doubtful about this. "Are you sure about that, John?"

He shrugged. "Either way, it is not going to be the simplest task I have ever accomplished, but it needs to be addressed; and I happen to think that having Elizabeth there will help things to run smoother."

Mary sighed. "If that is what you really think." And she went back to her sewing.

"Mother," Benjamin voiced. "Does this mean that Micah is not going to be my friend anymore now that Lizzie doesn't like him?"

Mary shook her head immediately. "No, darling. Micah will still be your friend."

"And I never said I disliked Micah." Elizabeth added, as she crouched down beside her youngest brother. "I do like him. I do very much. And he and I will never stop being friends."

"You promise?" The little boy asked quietly.

Softly, she smiled and ruffled his hair affectionately. "I promise."

* * *

As the evening wore on, the conversation shifted multiple times until it was eventually time for everyone to turn in for the night.

Andrew was about to step outside on his way to the barn when both Elizabeth and Sarah stopped him at the door. They both wore shy smiles on their faces and he waited for them to say something. Finally, Elizabeth did.

"Andrew, I cannot thank you enough." She said as she looked up at him gratefully. "I honestly did not expect my father's mind to be so easy for you to change. He is usually a very stubborn man."

"How did you do it?" Sarah asked curiously.

Andrew shrugged. "I am not sure. I just talked to him. I'm not sure what made him really change his mind. But I am glad he did."

"I'm glad too." Elizabeth agreed softly. "I just don't know how Micah is going to take this."

"But you still like him, Lizzie." Sarah said. "You just don't want to get married yet. It is only right that you should be able to be friends with both Micah and Samuel."

"That's true," Andrew agreed. "But things aren't always that easy. I suppose we'll just have to see how tomorrow goes."

The sisters nodded in agreement and bid Andrew goodnight. Andrew started down the path to the barn and when he entered the large building, he found Tess waiting inside for him.

"Tess," He greeted her with a smile on his face. "Did you hear?"

She nodded with a slight smile on her face. "Oh, I heard all right. Only days into case working and already you think you're a little matchmaker?"

He shook his head. "No Tess. I am not matching anybody up." He cocked his head thoughtfully. "Alright, so maybe I was. But it turned out fine. I've completed my assignment, Tess, haven't I?"

Her eyes widened. "You really think that you have finished your assignment? Angel Boy, you are not finished yet. There is still a lot more work to do."

"More? But Tess, I got John to allow his daughter to see Samuel. Does that not count for something?" He asked.

"Did I ask you to do that?" Tess checked. She didn't bother to tell him that it was Mary who had really convinced the storekeeper.

"No," He shook his head. "But Elizabeth did and I just assumed that it was my assignment."

Tess raised her eyebrows. "Kind of like you just assumed that that militia man was your assignment, simply because he called you Andrew?" Andrew blushed at the memory as Tess continued. "Baby, you assume too much. Your job here is not to assume, but to listen and do as the Father instructs. He makes the plans, you just carry them out."

Andrew sighed. "It sure would be a lot easier if you would just tell me the whole thing." Andrew pouted, dropping wearily onto a pile of hay. "You know what, Tess," He looked up at her. "Maybe case working just isn't my thing. Perhaps God should just send me back to Search and Rescue. I make too many mistakes here."

Tess shook her head. "Andrew, if the Father agreed with you on that, then He would already have you back there. He obviously wants you here and He knows what He's doing, I assure you. Now everyone makes mistakes, but I did not say pairing up Elizabeth and Samuel was one. It just was not your job and it was not your assignment either. This case is still wide open."

"Then what_ is_ my job, Tess?" Andrew asked, his voice obviously edged with frustration and contempt. "Because it seems to me, that all I've done is make mistakes and you keep telling me what I'm doing _wrong_!"

"Don't you raise your voice to me." Tess reminded him.

"But you won't tell me anything!" Andrew went on, despite his supervisor's warnings. "I obviously have no idea what to do here and you're just... around... not telling me what to do about anything. I thought I was on the right track. I thought all I had to do was get Elizabeth and Samuel together. Now you're telling me there is more? But you won't tell me what!"

"That's enough." Tess finally interrupted him. One look at her face would tell anybody that she was definitely not pleased with the other angel's behavior. "You better straighten that attitude of yours out, Mr. Halo."

Andrew stopped talking and sat there and looked at her, a unhappy scowl on his face. Finally he sighed loudly. "But Tess," He began again. "You don't understand. I –"

"Hush." Tess told him. "I don't want another peep out of you. I'm not going to put up with this attitude of yours. I understand perfectly well, I have trained many other angels before you and I'm sure there will be more after you. Now it is time for you to stop whining and act like an angel should. You got that?"

He still looked frustrated, but he just nodded silently.

"I have told you already that I cannot tell you everything." She continued, looking him in the eye. "Only what I am given permission to. Everything else you need to know, you will learn in time. This is part of being a caseworker, Andrew. You don't get a map of written instructions for you to follow. You must go through it with patience. Everything will happen in the Father's time and when He says it's right for you to know something more, He'll let you know." She paused, then added more gently, "He won't leave you in the dark, baby. You know that."

"Yes, but sometimes that's what it feels like." Andrew replied, this time softly.

"I know it does, but you'll come through in the end. I know you will." Tess encouraged him. "Now you do not really deserve it after your behavior, but I will give you another hint about what you're supposed to do. Are you listening?"

Again, he nodded silently, looking none too happy.

"Your job is to show this family, John especially, about love and acceptance." Tess told her him. "Two things that seem so simple, yet can be very hard to learn. It still involves Micah though, as well as Samuel. You need to pay attention to both."

Andrew just sighed and did not say anything.

"Come on now, Andrew," Tess beckoned him after a few moments of silence. It was obvious that neither one of them were overly happy at the current moment. "Get up off of that hay and get to bed. You have an assignment to work on tomorrow." She reminded him, a meaningful tone evident in her voice.

Andrew nodded and reluctantly pulled himself up off the ground. He quietly bid Tess good night then made his way up to the hay loft where he was supposed to sleep.

It was not long before he was lying quietly in his bed, but the angel could not sleep. His mind was on his assignment once again and he could not help but wonder what it was exactly that he was supposed to do. He really wished that Tess wasn't so secretive about his specific task, but then again, he knew that she was only trying to teach him and what she said was true. He knew deep down that God would help him out and that this was all part of the learning process. It just seemed that the learning was not easy. He already felt ashamed for the way he had acted only minutes before. He knew he had disappointed Tess with his behavior and he had disappointed himself as well. God too.

"Father," He whispered up into the dark. "I'm sorry for my attitude. I know should never have acted or talked that way to Tess. She didn't deserve it at all and it was wrong of me. Please forgive me. And please, could you give me some more patience? Because it seems I am running out."

Then, with one last sigh for the evening, Andrew rolled over in bed and was soon fast asleep.

* * *

The next morning Andrew was up bright and early after a good night's rest. He had gone to sleep feeling frustrated, ashamed, and confused, but this morning he was feeling optimistic. He could not be sure, but he felt that something good was going to happen that day. He just did not know what it was.

Humming a pleasant tune, Andrew quickly got dressed and headed into the Chandler house. Upon entering he found that most of the family was just coming downstairs as well and everyone seemed to be in a pleasant mood, which lifted Andrew's spirits even higher.

"Good morning, Andrew." Mary greeted him as she came out of the kitchen. "I trust you slept better last night than the night before?"

Andrew nodded. "Yes ma'am, I did, thank you."

"Aye, well, I imagine you're not being sick any had something to do with it." She smiled kindly at him.

"Yes ma'am, I imagine that you are right." Andrew agreed. He glanced about, then back at the woman. "Mrs. Chandler, would you excuse me for a moment please?"

She nodded. "Of course."

Andrew turned and slipped into the kitchen where he found Tess preparing breakfast for the family. She smiled when she saw him come in.

"Angel Boy, are you in a more agreeable mood this morning?" She asked him knowingly.

He grinned. "Tess, it is a beautiful morning today, did you see?'

She chuckled. "You _are_ in a better mood. What has got you in such high spirits?'

He shrugged and leaned against the table where she was working. "I don't know, Tess. I just woke up feeling optimistic. You know, just like anything can happen."

"Anything can happen any day, Andrew." Tess reminded him, as she went to the stove and stirred the same kind of porridge that Andrew had eaten the morning before. "Have you forgotten who you work for?'

"Of course not, Tess." Andrew shook his head. "I know God can do anything He likes. But I don't know, today just seems... different."

"Well whatever it is, you just make sure you stay focused on your assignment." The older angel replied. "It's time to start making things happen around here."

"I'll try." Andrew said softly. Then he looked at her, shame written all over his handsome face. "Tess, I'm really sorry for the way I acted last night. My attitude was terrible and uncalled for... and I deserved that lecture you gave me too. Will you... will you forgive me?"

She smiled at him. "Of course, baby. I know you're sorry and it's alright to feel frustrated at times. But I trust you'll keep your attitude in line better for now on?"

He nodded. "Aye, I'll do my best."

With another nod, she just nodded, then went back to stirring her part.

All was silent for a few moments and then Andrew broke it once again.

"Tess." He told her, then silently traced his finger around some scattered flour on the table. Finally, he looked up at her, willing himself to wear the most pitiful face he could muster. "Come on... can't you please tell me anything more about what I am supposed to do? I'm not asking for a lot of information... just a little. Please?"

She looked up and shook her head. "Don't try any of that puppy dog stuff with me, Angel Boy. It is not going to work." He sighed with defeat as she continued. "Your job here is to help this family discover real love and loyalty. Help them learn what both of those things are about and what they really mean."

Andrew shook his head. "I still don't understand, Tess."

"I will tell you one thing then." She concluded. "The keys to your assignment are Samuel Carroll and John Chandler."

Andrew's eyes lit upon hearing the name. "So I am on the right track? Getting Elizabeth and Samuel together with John's permission?"

"Perhaps" Tess replied slowly. "But, baby, you know that there is more to love than just romance. Not every story is a love story."

Andrew just shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "Tess, you are forever speaking in riddles. Why?"

She cocked her head. "Does it make you think?"

He nodded quickly. "Yes, very much."

She smiled. "That's why, baby. Now get yourself into that dining room. We've got work to do."


	23. Chapter 23

_I did have some assistance in writing bits of this chapter, so thanks is in order to this person for their help._

_To all that are reading, please enjoy the next installment of this story. __ I've never had a story reap so many wonderful reviews before, so__ to those of you who continue to faithfully review each and every chapter, another very heart-felt 'thank-you'._

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Later that day, Andrew stood in the store with John and Elizabeth. John had sent for both Micah and Samuel earlier that morning and the young men were due to arrive fairly soon. Andrew could not help but feel anxious about what would be discussed and he could tell that Elizabeth felt likewise. It was difficult though to get a grip on what the shopkeeper must have been thinking. The man was very good at hiding such things.

"Father," Elizabeth finally spoke up after a few minutes had gone by without words from anybody. "Do you think Micah will be angry with me?"

John sighed. "I imagine that he will be very disappointed, but, dear, if he really does love you then he will let you go in the end... if that is what this comes to."

"You do not want me to see Samuel, do you Father?" She asked knowingly. "You would rather me marry a Patriot... Micah."

"Micah is a fine young man." John nodded. "I respect him and I think that he would make a fine husband for you someday."

"And Samuel?" Elizabeth started.

"Samuel is a Loyalist, Lizzie. You know how I feel about Loyalists and if my daughter chooses to marry one that will not change my opinions about her husband." He laid his hand on her shoulder. "But if you still wish to marry this Loyalist, this Samuel, then I will allow it. Only because I love you and I want you to be happy."

She smiled and tears welled up in the young lady's eyes as she embraced her father. "I love you." She said softly.

"As I you." John responded gently.

Andrew could not help but feel awkward as he observed the scene taking place in front of him. He felt very out of place in such a tender moment. Not knowing what else to do, he turned to gaze out the window. That is when he saw two familiar looking young men on their way up the street.

"Mr. Chandler," The angel turned back to the storekeeper. "They are coming. I can see Micah and Samuel coming up the street together."

Hearing this, Elizabeth rushed to the window and saw that what her father's apprentice had said was true. 

"They are, Father." She confirmed. "I can see them. Oh, I am so anxious." She added quietly, turning to Andrew.

"I know." Andrew smiled softly. "To tell you the truth, so am I."

Elizabeth looked surprised. "Are you? Yet this has hardly anything to do with you. Why should you be worried?"

Andrew shrugged. "I have my reasons."

Just then the door to the store opened and the two young men that John had sent for entered the room. They were both obviously confused as to why they had been called there and why the other one had been called as well.

"Mr. Chandler," Micah spoke first. "You sent for me?"

"And I as well?" Samuel joined in, taking a few steps closer to the shopkeeper.

"Aye, I did. I wanted to speak with both of you. It is about my daughter." He explained, wrapping one of his arms over Elizabeth's shoulders.

Both young men's eyebrows wrinkled. "What about Elizabeth, sir?" Micah question.

"If this has anything to do with the other evening, Mr. Chandler, I am sorry." Samuel began. "It was not my intention to do any harm to anybody."

"What about the other evening?" Micah's eyes narrowed as he turned to face the Loyalist beside him.

John cleared his throat in means to interrupt the men and he succeeded. Both boys silenced immediately and quickly turned back to face the shopkeeper expectantly while Andrew stood in the corner quietly, simply observing.

"Samuel," John began. "I know you are aware that I am a Patriot and that am not in favor of my family associating with anyone who supports the king."

"Yes sir, I am." Samuel nodded respectfully, even though he did not agree with the older man's ways.

"You, Micah, also know this and you also are aware that that is one of the reasons I find you to be such a fine young man." John stated.

"Thank you, sir." Micah nodded humbly. "That means a lot to me."

"Well, I have come to a new conclusion about something over the past few days that concerns both of you." John went on. "And it concerns Elizabeth." He paused, then continued. "Lads, I have decided to give Elizabeth permission to associate with Loyalists... specifically Samuel."

"What?" Micah sounded astonished.

"Me, sir?" Samuel also looked very surprised. "Mr. Chandler, I thought that you despised me."

"Samuel Carroll," John looked the younger man directly in the eye. "Do understand that my decision to allow my daughter to see you will not altar my opinions of you or any other Loyalist. I am doing this, simply because it will make my daughter happy."

"Is this true, Elizabeth?" Micah asked quietly. "Do you really wish to see this Loyalist?"

Andrew could see the hurt look in the young man's eyes and while he did feel sorry for him, he still could not help but feel joyous inside. Samuel and Elizabeth were finally going to be permitted to be together and it was Andrew's doing. The angel was still not sure what it was exactly he had said that made John so readily accept the idea, but whatever it was, it must have been good. He recalled the way the shopkeeper hardly hesitated at the idea at all, like it had been in the back of his mind all along. 

Finally, Andrew decided, he had been doing something right in this assignment.

"It is true, Micah." Elizabeth spoke up for the first time since the two young men had arrived. "And I am very sorry, for I know that your feelings are hurt. But I need you to understand that I am not doing this because I dislike you. I love you." She added quietly.

"Yet this is how you show your love?" Micah was quick to respond and it was obvious he was covering his hurt with anger. "Your reasoning sounds rather improper, to say the least."

"I know that this does not make any sense to you." Elizabeth replied. "But Micah, I am not ready to turn my life over to one man just yet. Samuel is a Loyalist and I know that that alone is a good enough reason for you and my father to dislike him, but it is not for me." She took a deep breath. "I want to know Samuel. I want to do so without having to hide it from anybody."

The room came to an awkward silence at that moment. And it was only then that anyone seemed to realize that thunder had begun to roll outside and the tin roof above was now being hit by steadily falling rain.

"So what am I to do now?" Micah finally questioned quietly. "Shall I just walk home now, as if the young woman I love did not just leave me for a Loyalist? Shall I just pretend that I never knew you?"

"I hope not." Elizabeth replied softly. She glanced at John and Samuel, who had remained silent during this exchange. "Because I am not forgetting you, Micah. I just need some time and some room to breathe for a while. I do not know what will come of this, but Samuel is quite prepared for that." She sighed sadly. "I only wish that you could understand."

"So do I." Micah replied, shaking his head. "I do not think I will ever fully understand, but I want you to understand something. Elizabeth, I do love you and because of this, I want you to be happy. Even if it means that in the end... I must lose you. Though I sincerely hope is does not come to that."

Tears welled up in Elizabeth's eyes and she did not say anything as Micah now turned to Samuel.

"Take care of her." He stated, trying to hide his anger with the other man. "And, trust me, if I find you have not, I will come find you and personally see that you are quite sorry that you ever laid eyes on her or me."

Samuel nodded slowly. "I will take care of her, Micah. You know I would never let anything happen to her. I love her too."

"Aye, well, I am doing my best to forget that." Micah replied. "Though it is not easy, especially since you are a Loyalist. Does it not bother you that this young lady's Father is one of the most strongest-willed Patriots this town has? Why do you not despise me?"

"We have different political views." Samuel shook his head. "But I will not allow this alone to run the rest of my life. I do not agree with you or Mr. Chandler, but I can accept you both as human beings with your own opinions. Can you not do the same for me?"

"No, I cannot." Micah stated angrily. "I will not accept anyone who supports the king. Not now, not ever."

"Is this truly how you feel?" Samuel questioned softly.

Suddenly the front door to the store banged open and in came the men that Andrew recognized from two days before. Standing in the opening were the Loyalists who had threatened John and demanded he have tea for sale when they returned. And this time they had apparently brought extra friends along with them. Alarmed, Andrew did a quick glance around the store and noticed that, just as John had said, there was no tea being sold.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" John asked loudly, though he already knew what they wanted.

"You know exactly why we're here, Chandler." The ringleader, Lars, replied as he slowly pulled out a wicked looking knife. "We came in here and told you to start selling tea and that we would be back in two days."

"It's been two days." A young man, Thomas Goodson. He took off his hat and shook some rain from it, then pushed it back on his head. "And I don't see any tea."

"Leave my store." John ordered the men. It was obvious to anyone watching that the shopkeeper was doing his best to keep his temper under control. "I will not sell something that your king taxes unjustly."

"You are disloyal. A worthless nobody who is foolish enough to try and resist the authority of the British Empire." Lars told him. "And since you seem to refuse to change your ways, then we'll try and make ourselves more… _persuasive_." The man nodded in the direction of the goods and immediately the small group of Loyalists scattered about inside the building.

Andrew watched in bewilderment as the men began to throw things off the shelves and tear the store apart. He could hardly believe it. He knew that they had strong opinions about the king, but he hadn't been completely aware of how strongly they felt.

Micah had not had a very good day. A fellow Patriot, John of all men, had accepted a Loyalist and was allowing him court his daughter. Micah's girl! Because of all this, he was just itching to crack Samuel's head. But because of Elizabeth, he wouldn't. Now seeing this Loyalist incursion was ironically just the thing he needed at that moment. He was angry and these Loyalists were about to find out.

The next thing Andrew knew, Micah was rushing past him in an attempt to stop the attack that was taking place. He leaped onto one of the men and thrust his knee into his chest, riding the unfortunate fellow to the ground. Then he whirled and engaged another. He was startled when he heard a grunt and crash behind him. He turned and saw Samuel rushing by with a Loyalist firmly locked against his shoulder. Now this was surprising to Micah; he had expected this _Loyalist_ who stole his girl to hang him out to dry. But he was here, fighting his own kind. This made Micah frown with puzzlement as he fought. He didn't know what Samuel was trying to pull, but he would be ready for it. 

The chaos began to grow; over the shouts of the men, Andrew heard John order his daughter to go into the back of the store. She did as she was told and then John pushed past Andrew, joining in on the fight that was taking place. 


	24. Chapter 24

_Again, I did have assistance in writing this fight scene. If I hadn't, it wouldn't have been half as exciting. Or realistic for that matter. So thanks and enjoy everyone!  
_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

As a thunderstorm began to rage outside, Andrew took in the scene without a clue of what to do to help. What could he do? Even if it did deem appropriate of him to join in the fight with the other men, he doubted that he would be much good at all. He was pretty sure that he would just end up getting in the way and getting clobbered in the process of doing no good whatsoever.

Wait a minute; he was an angel. He couldn't fight people! But he had to help his assignment. While he tried to reason out this very confusing ordeal, John landed beside him in a heap.

"Andrew, what are you doing? Get off your rear and help!" With that John waded back into the fray. 

Andrew was still very confused, but he decided to listen to John. He tried to form his hand into the basic shape of a fist and then charged toward Thomas. Andrew arrived just in time for his nose to meet his opponent's much more nicely formed fist. He was halted with a squelch and fell over backward to the floor in a sitting position. Andrew held his nose and wondered in a daze how so much blood could come from so small an opening.

While this was happening, John had tackled Lars and gotten in close enough to prevent Lars from using his knife. Now they were on the floor fighting for control of the weapon. 

As Micah and Samuel were fighting on opposite sides of the store, Micah yelled across the room:

"Samuel, what are you doing?"

"Trying to help!" Samuel called back, never taking his eyes off the man he fought.

"Why? We're enemies! Oh, I see; organize a fight with other Loyalists and prove your worth to John the Patriot!"

At this point, Samuel got angry. He made his way across the room until he was fighting beside Micah. He yelled anyway.

"Would you just stop? Not everything revolves around politics! This is a fight, not ideology! You're my friends, and you are in trouble. And in case you have not noticed, we are the only thing standing between these scumbags and Elizabeth!"

As if to accentuate the point, two Loyalists made a run for the back of the store. With a joint howl of rage, both Samuel and Micah bulled through everyone and everything in the way and caught up to the men threatening the young woman they both loved. Samuel sacked one from behind and Micah jumped high in the air and landed on the other's shoulders. Standing back up, the two men each shared a weak grin and ran back into the fray.

_Maybe Samuel's right. Maybe there is something more to all of this, _Micah thoughts began. But these new thoughts were soon interrupted by the fight that continued on.

Andrew knew he was an angel and couldn't be killed, but he could not help but fear for the lives of his friends. He had found a frying pan and was casting about with it wildly, trying to be useful but not really accomplishing much. Out of pure luck he succeeded in whacking one Loyalist over the head, who in turn crumpled with a loud _bong_.

_I think I'm getting the hang of this!_ Andrew thought to himself and swung some more.

Samuel and Micah were back to back in the middle of the store, beset by three Loyalists. Thomas picked up an ax handle from a rack and ran at the two from their blind side. Seeing this, the angel stood and rushed him, shouting a warning at Micah and Samuel. The attacker turned and swung his make-shift weapon at Andrew in a wide arc. Andrew dodged but the tip of the handle caught his right knee, smashing it into his other knee. He fell with a yelp and dropped the pan, again on the floor. 

Micah and Samuel were doing very well; they had fought enough to go on the offensive, one Loyalist was on the ground, and Samuel was working on another. John wasn't doing as good. Lars kicked him off and he hit his head as he landed. He wasn't moving. The Loyalist stood and brought his knife to bear. Micah saw this and attacked the ringleader. He punched him hard in the side and Lars doubled over. There was a loud crash and Andrew saw that Samuel had thrown his opponent bodily through the display window. He then jumped on another. 

Andrew crawled over to John and shook him, trying to wake him up. His eyelids began to flutter just as Micah yelled for help. 

The young man was already cut on his hands and forearms from warding off the knife wielding assailant. Samuel saw this and let his man go and ran for the knife. Andrew was directly behind him and struggled to stand up and charge him. He knew he could get there first and had the perfect angle. He wobbled to his feet and went for Lars' back. Before he got there, another Loyalist came from his right. Andrew moved as fast as he could, trying to get to Lars, who had his knife raised for a fatal blow. But he wasn't fast enough. The other Loyalist delivered a brutal kick to Andrew's ribs which drove the wind completely out of him and made his chest crunch inward. He thought of this while he sailed backward and landed beside John, hitting the wood floor hard. John then rose up on one elbow and hurled an empty bucket at Andrew's attacker, knocking him off his feet. 

Andrew then watched in horror as Lars' knife came down right towards Micah. Just then, Samuel dove in front of Micah and plowed into Lars. As the knife came down on Samuel, he just grunted. After they both landed, he delivered a savage elbow to Lars' face, laying him out.

"Samuel, are you alright?" Asked Micah, helping him up.

"Fine, it's just a scratch." Said Samuel as he pulled his coat closer around himself. 

"Look out!" John yelled as another foe approached them from behind. 

With that, the fight resumed. Andrew kicked himself for not getting there first, but was relieved that at least Samuel wasn't hurt too badly. Just how badly _he_ himself was hurt though finally dawned on him and he lay back with a moan. But the fight continued on around him and John was able to get back up help defend his store.

The storekeeper pulled himself to his feet and grabbed an ax handle, advancing on the similarly armed Loyalist, Thomas. They met with a _crack_, trying to hit each other with their staves. John was older, stronger, and had more experience than his opponent, but his opponent was younger, with more energy and stamina.

While they battled back and forth, Micah and Samuel were jointly able to finish off the last of the others. Andrew crawled over to Thomas and pulled his feet out from under him. He went down with a yell and John quickly jumped forward.

"Get out of my store." John snarled breathlessly, with his stave a few inches from the other man's throat. Thomas gulped and stood slowly. He and the other able Loyalists roused as many friends as they could and carried the rest out. They limped through the door, which was by now hanging halfway off its hinges, and out into the storm, disappearing into the gloom.

John, Micah, Samuel, and Andrew walked to the middle of the store and surveyed to wreckage: furniture was broken, produce was squashed and smeared everywhere, racks were emptied, and shelves were cleared and overturned. After seeing the carnage, they looked at each other. They did not look much better. But they were alive, and Elizabeth was still fine. 

Samuel grinned weakly at Micah and Micah couldn't help but return the gesture. Then Samuel started coughing. When he brought his hand down from his mouth, it was covered with blood. 

Shocked, Micah gasped. Where had all that blood come from? Now that he looked harder, he thought he saw blood dripping from the bottom of his jacket.

"Samuel, are you all right?" Asked Micah, alarmed.

"It's nothing…" The young Loyalist gasped. "It's... just a scra…."

Before he could finish, he dropped to the floor, face down. Startled by this, everyone, including Elizabeth who had ran from her hiding place, knelt down beside him. John rolled him over and as he did, the younger man's coat opened. Elizabeth gasped with horror and her father pulled her in close, shielding her face. Samuel's shirt was soaked with blood from a large stab wound on the right side of his chest.

"Someone fetch the doctor! Now!" Screamed Elizabeth, who had torn her face from her father's protective coverage. Andrew jumped up immediately and started for the door.

John looked at the wounds Samuel had sustained and wondered how he had kept fighting. He sadly shook his head.

"Andrew, stop." John said softly, yet reluctantly. It was obvious he did not like to admit what would come next "Elizabeth… it's no use." 

Hearing this, Andrew stopped and the small group crowded around the wounded young man in the middle of the shop floor. Elizabeth sat closest.

"Samuel!" She exclaimed her voice cracking as she spoke. She took one of his limp hands in her own and squeezed it lovingly. "Samuel, please, can you hear me?"

"Are you sure I should not go for the doctor." Andrew asked as he began to turn towards the door again.

"No, lad." John said softly as he grabbed Andrew by the arm. "No. There will be nothing he can do."

Andrew's eyes widened in horror. "You mean..."

John nodded and held his finger up to his lips to silence the rest of the angel's question. "Yes. Now not another word about it. It will do no good"

Andrew just nodded numbly and watched as John went to Samuel's other side and the young Loyalist moaned again. 

"Elizabeth," Samuel began slowly, each word a job of its own as it became more difficult for him to breathe. "I, I love you."

Through tears, she nodded. "I love you too, Samuel. Hold on. Please hold on."

He shook his head. "I can't." He said softly. "It is my time to go. I know, for I can see an angel here with me now and I am not afraid. But Elizabeth, you must... must promise me something."

She nodded, unable to speak, and he continued.

"You must promise me that you will live a happy life. Marry and have a family, for I know that when you do you will cherish them." He took a deep gasping breath. "Micah is a fine man, Lizzie. I know that, that he loves you and he will care for you, perhaps even better than I would have liked to myself."

Finally, the dying young man glanced up at Micah, who was kneeling by Elizabeth side. "Micah, you are a fine man. Know that... that I always admired your strength and, and your loyalty for what you believed in."

"You're a good man too, Samuel Carroll." Micah said quietly, looking the other man in the eye. "Know that."

Samuel just nodded and took staggering breath. Then, heaving a sigh, the last breath slipped from his body. Upon this, Elizabeth burst into tears while John and Micah tried unsuccessfully to console her.

Throughout all of this, Andrew had not been able to say anything. He could only stand to the side and watch in horror at the scene unfolding before him. It was horrible. So horrible, in fact, that he could scarcely believe it was happening. But it was, and Andrew knew that when he saw the Angel of Death, Adam, appear by Samuel's side what the young man's fate would be.

"Adam, no. You can't!" Andrew protested as the other angel appeared in angelic form beside the wounded man. Andrew had not ever spent great lengths of time at once with this Angel of Death, but he met him quite a few times before and recognized him right away.

Thunder rumbled outside as Adam shook his head sadly."I have no choice, Andrew. You know that. It is his time now."

Andrew shook his head fiercely. "No!"

"I'm sorry, Andrew." Adam responded softly. "But it is time to take him Home."

And that is when Andrew watched as the last breath left Samuel's body and as Elizabeth began to weep bitterly. That is when it hit him: a key to his assignment was... was dead. And it was his entire fault. Everything was ruined because of him… just like the nightmare he had had.

The guilt he was hit with at that moment was overpowering and suddenly the store was much too small. Quickly, Andrew turned around and rushed out of the building. It was down pouring outside, but this did not stop the distressed angel. He ran across the nearly empty street and into the forest on the other side. He could feel the rain penetrating his skin and mingling with the tears that were now on his face.

He did not even know exactly what he was running from. He just knew he had to get away; away from John, Elizabeth, and Micah. He had to get away from the now dead young man on the floor of the store. He ran further and further into the trees until his legs could carry him no more. Finally, gasping for breath, he collapsed onto the muddy ground beneath a large tree.

The backs of his calves ached from running and he was by now soaked straight to the skin, but he did not even notice. He could only think of one thing. Every time he closed his eyes he would see it again. Samuel jumping in front of Micah and taking the knife instead. 

It had been his fault. He should have been there instead. And now that Samuel was gone… his assignment was incomplete. He, the one assigned to _fix_ a problem, had only succeeded in making everything worse. He had just ruined everything, just as he had feared in his nightmare.

He shook his head, trying to erase the image of Samuel collapsing onto the floor, blood spread across the man's shirt. But the image would not leave his mind. It stayed there, looming in front of his eyes no matter what he did. 

With a shuddering breath, he reached up and pushed his dripping hair out of his face and rubbed his eyes. But the image remained. And it continued to haunt him, as he knelt in the mud and as the rain continued to come down around him.


	25. Chapter 25

_First, I'd like to thank __Jenni-OnThisSide, __Garjzlavarden, and Yva J. for continuing to review this story. The response I got from the last chapter really encouraged me to continue, as it was much stronger than I had originally anticipated. So thank you!!_

_Secondly, I would like to dedicate this chapter to Yva J: __**Founder of the Advocacy of Adam Appreciators. **__;-) I love the way you roll!!_

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**Chapter Twenty-Five**

A few hours later, it was dark outside and the rain was coming down just as hard, if not harder. The thunder continued to rumble and the lightening could be seen flashing outside the windows of the Chandler home.

Tess watched as the Chandler family sat silently together in their parlor. There was hardly a word between anybody. Elizabeth simply stared straight ahead into the fire. There was no emotion on her face, yet it was obvious that she had been crying from her red-rimmed eyes. John sat quietly, smoking his pipe. He looked like he was deeply lost in thought and no one even tried to make conversation.

From the kitchen doorway, Tess sighed as she watched the sad scene in front of her. She shook her head as she thought about the afternoon's events. Everything had been running smoothly at the house that afternoon. It had been raining heavily outside, but there was plenty of housework to do inside the house. But then the front door had opened and the John entered with both Elizabeth and Micah with him. All three of them were dripping wet, and Elizabeth appeared to be in a daze.

It was there that they had learned of the earlier happenings. John told all of them about the attack and fight with the store and how Samuel had fought to defend them. Even though he was a Loyalist and they were not. And then he told them about the way one of the men had gone after Micah, only to be interceded by Samuel who took the knife himself. He had told them about the way the young man had died on the store floor.

Tess had eventually noticed that Andrew was not with them when they returned and when she questioned this, John had not seemed too concerned.

"He left." John had said. "I was so busy with Samuel and Elizabeth, that I did not even see him go. All I know is that he was there one minute and the next time I looked up, he was gone. I am sure he will come back in his own time."

He had said that and he had sounded sure, but that had been hours ago and Tess was not so sure she agreed with the man. She knew that she should not worry. She knew that the Father would take care of Andrew, wherever he was. But she still could not help but be concerned for him. There had to be something out of this story that she was missing; something that would have made Andrew run off the way he did.

She suddenly heard a noise in the kitchen behind her. She turned around to find the Angel of Death, Adam, standing there beside the table. His long hair was pulled back into a short queue behind his head and he wore a concerned expression on his face.

"Hello Tess," He said, his voice quiet. He glanced around the room curiously, as if he was searching for somebody.

"Adam," She demanded, not even bothering to greet the angel she had not seen in weeks. "I sure hope you were sent here to fill me in."

He looked confused by this remark. "Fill you in? Fill you in on what?"

"On what happened to Andrew." The older angel said with exasperation.

"What happened to Andrew?" Adam still looked very puzzled. "That's why I am here. I wanted to make sure he was alright after what happened this afternoon."

She shook her head. "Andrew is not here, Adam. He never came back this afternoon. What do you know about this?" She asked him, stepping closer. "Did you handle Samuel's case, Angel Boy?"

He nodded. "Yes, I did. Tess, the whole thing was truly amazing. The boy is remarkable. He really is."

"Come on." Tess prodded impatiently. "Out with it, Adam. Tell me what happened."

"Oh, of course. Well, I did not see the whole thing. But by the time I arrived there was a fight going on inside John Chandler's store. Everyone was fighting somebody. I... I could hardly tell who was actually winning." He shook his head at the memory. "Well anyway, one of the men went after Micah when the lad was not looking. Andrew... Andrew saw and jumped to stop man, but he was stopped before he could get to him. So Samuel jumped in and pushed Micah out of the way. He took the knife himself, Tess. He took it for another man who had not done one thing to deserve such an act." He emphasized. Tears stung the angel's eyes and he closed them briefly as he remembered the shocked look on Samuel's face as he felt the knife strike him.

Tess then prodded him to continue, returning Adam's thoughts to the present and he continued.

"The fight pretty much ended shortly after that, but until then Samuel kept fighting. He refused to let himself stop until it was over. He collapsed on the floor after that and everybody rushed to his side. I heard Andrew ask about going for a doctor, but John told him not to. It was too late for Samuel by that point and John knew that." Adam sighed sadly. "Andrew then looked over and he saw me standing there. That's when he knew. He knew, Tess, what was going to happen and the look on his face was just... just complete horror. But there was something else, though I don't know what it was.

"He pleaded with me not to take Samuel, but you know I had no choice, Tess." The Angel of Death continued the story. "And I did not want to take him. I didn't... He was so young. But it was his time. I've heard from others that Andrew was promoted and this is his first case working assignment."

Tess nodded in confirmation.

"And I know it can be difficult in the beginning; especially the first few days, but I would think that he would understand something like this." Adam said, his handsome face lined with confusion. "After all, he is an angel. He knows that death is not the end of life. Why would he be so... so desperate for the lad to live? I mean, I understand and all, but to this extent? He seemed like he was depending on the boy's life. It was one of the strangest things I have seen in a while. And trust me, I have seen some pretty strange things in my line of work."

A look of understanding suddenly dawned upon Tess' face as Adam finished his story. "He was depending on Samuel." Tess declared, looking the other angel in the eye. "At least he thinks he is. Adam, I know why Andrew ran off. He was running away from something. Something that he shouldn't feel in the first place."

"What is it, Tess?" Adam asked softly.

"Guilt." The older angel replied solemnly. "He was running from guilt."

* * *

Andrew slowly opened his eyes. It took him a moment to figure out where he was and how he had gotten there, but very quickly it all came flooding back to him. He rubbed his eyes and looking about through the darkness, he decided that he must have somehow fallen asleep out there in the rain. It was still storming and though it was April, he could not help but shiver from being so completely wet.

He yawned and slowly repositioned himself on the muddy ground where he had spent the last couple of hours. He groaned at the aches and pains he felt in on various parts of his body. But the pain he noticed especially was the pain in his stomach. One of his ribs, it felt like, was either severely bruised or cracked. The pain was bad enough either way. Probably from when that rod was slammed into his stomach by one of the Loyalists.

Loyalists... Samuel. Andrew could not take his mind off the young man. The boy should not have died. If only Andrew would have gotten to Micah, then Samuel wouldn't have been hurt.

He remembered what Tess had said; that Samuel was one the keys to his assignment. Now he had not only gotten the boy killed because he could not reach him in time, but he had failed his assignment in the process. His very first assignment as a caseworker and he had ruined it. Just like in the nightmare he had had a few nights before. Only this time, Samuel really was dead. And it really was his fault. Now everything was ruined. Elizabeth would never marry Samuel, and perhaps not even Micah.

_Things probably would have been better without me here at all, _Andrew told himself dejectedly. Tears once again pricked his eyes, but had anybody been there, they would not have noticed for his face was already wet from the rain.

He did not know what time it was, but he knew that he had been gone for a long time and that maybe people were probably beginning to wonder what had happened to him. Besides, he was cold and the thought of dry clothes was enough to make him get up off the ground and onto his feet.

The pain in his stomach. It was still there, yet the angel did not even notice it as he stood up. He was beginning to feel a numbness overcome him and the feeling did not from the wet clothes he wore. The numbness came from deep inside him. The pain of his failure and guilt ran so deep, it diluted everything around him. As he began to slowly make his way out of the forest, all he could do was think of his failure. And all he could see was Samuel and images from the nightmare that he was sure would continue haunt him the rest of his existence.

* * *

Tess sighed as she drummed her fingers against the table. The Chandlers were all in bed asleep by this point, but Tess remained awake, waiting for Andrew to return as she hoped he would.

But she did not wait alone. Across the table from her sat Adam, a half eaten buttered biscuit in front of him. Tess had offered it to him a little while back and he had accepted, but his mind was obviously not on eating at that moment.

"Tess," He spoke up quietly. "If only you could have seen the look on his face. I feel so bad for having to take Samuel home."

"You did your job, baby, what you were told to do by the Father." Tess told him gently, but surely. "For that there should be no shame. You did nothing wrong."

Adam nodded as he accepted this. He knew what the older angel said was true, but he still felt bad for his friend.

"What Andrew does not understand," Tess continued. "Is that he did nothing wrong either. Samuel's death was not his fault at all. He could not have done anything to stop it. And Samuel's death has not ended his assignment. God can use bad things that happen for good, and this time is no exception. Andrew has not failed."

"But he thinks he has, Tess." Adam pointed out softly. "And that has got to be hurting him something terrible."

Just as Adam finished his sentence, the back door to the kitchen swung open and Andrew came slowly walking in. His face showed no emotion whatsoever, though there was a little blood here and there on him and water was dripping off him as if a bucket of water had just been dumped over his head. Tess and Adam were both on their feet at once.

"Andrew," Tess exclaimed quietly, as to not wake the family sleeping. She rushed over to him. "Where have you been?"

He did not say anything at first. He just shook his head and stood there, letting the water form a puddle around him. Finally he looked up at his supervisor with sorrowful eyes. "Tess, I failed. I failed my very first assignment, just like in that nightmare I had."

"Andrew, you did not fail." Adam spoke up as he joined in.

"I did. And now Samuel is dead... because of me." Andrew added hoarsely. "It is all my fault, Tess. All of it." He shivered slightly at the end of his sentence. "I have ruined everything and this time it is not a nightmare. It's real. These are real human lives and I just know that God must be so angry with me."

Tess shook her head fiercely. "No, Andrew. That is not true. You did not fail and I promise you, the Father is anything but angry with you."

Andrew did not look convinced and Tess sighed. "Angel Boy, I want you to go out to that barn and get out of those wet clothes, put on something dry, and get in bed before you make yourself sick again. Adam and I will be out in a few minutes. Then I want to explain some things to you."

Andrew just nodded numbly and did what he had been told. He turned around and went back outside. The two remaining angels watched his retreating back and Tess shook her head sadly. He did not even try to run through the storm, she noticed. He simply walked slowly and numbly through it all. It was as if he was hardly aware of anything other than his assumed failure. Protectively, Tess continued to watch him until he eventually disappeared into the dry barn.


	26. Chapter 26

_Okay, this chapter is huge, I know, but I didn't want to split it into two. So enjoy if you like long chapters. If you don't… sorry, you'll get over it. ;-)_

_Thanks again to all my reviewers, but this time special thanks to Yva J: You really helped to inspire bits and pieces of this chapter! Thanks a billion!!_

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**Chapter Twenty-Six**

A few minutes later, Andrew sat quietly on his bed in the loft of the barn. He had come in and had slowly washed the mud and blood off of his face, barely noticing the pain he felt in his nose when he touched it. He had then changed out of his mud and rain soaked clothing into something dry.

Now as he sat there cross-legged on his bed with his head in his hands, his mind continued to play the image of the day's earlier events. Water continued to drip from his hair, creating wet spots on the shoulders of his shirt, but he didn't even notice. He could not get over the fact of all that he had ruined.

Suddenly both Tess and Adam appeared in the loft. Glancing up at them, Andrew sighed. Then he just sat there silently, waiting for Tess to speak first.

"Angel Boy, do you want to tell me what happened?" Tess finally asked softly. "And why you think that you 'failed'?"

"Don't you know?" Andrew moved his sad green eyes to Adam. "Didn't he tell you?"

Tess nodded slowly. "Adam did tell me a little bit. But I want to hear it from you, Andrew."

"Everything is my fault." Andrew sighed as Tess sat down beside him and Adam pulled up a crate to sit on. "Mr. Chandler had been explaining to Samuel and Micah about how he was not going to keep Elizabeth from seeing Samuel anymore. He was saying how he still hated Loyalists, but that he wanted his daughter to be happy.

"Micah was very angry about this. He was sad too though, and I suppose I can kind of understand why he would be." Andrew continued softly. He did not meet anyone's eyes as he spoke, but instead stared down at the quilt on the bed. "There were some harsh words between some of them and then suddenly these men came into the store. I recognized them... they were Loyalists that had come in a few days before. They had been really angry then and told Mr. Chandler to start selling tea in his store again. They threatened him that he had better have it in two days when they came back. Today was... today was two days." Andrew sighed and took a deep breath.

While he paused, Adam and Tess both glanced at each other, and then waited for the story to continue.

"There was no tea, of course." Andrew finally said. "You know how Mr. Chandler is. So the men started to tear apart the store. They threw things, they broke things. Then everyone rushed to stop them. I... I tried to help, but I did not do so well, you see. But everyone continued to fight. It just got worse and worse. Then I saw one of the Loyalists pull out a knife." At this point, his voice cracked but he continued on. "He started to go for Micah, but Micah was not paying attention. I... I tried to stop him, Tess... I tried..." Andrew let his voice trail off. He felt hot tears sting his eyes and he stubbornly rubbed them away.

"What happened next, Andrew?" Tess prodded him gently.

Andrew took a shuddering breath. "I... I tried to stop him from getting to Micah. I started to run over there, but then somebody hit me with something. I don't know what it was even, but the next thing I knew I was laying on my back with the breath just completely knocked out of me. The other man was still going after Micah though and I tried to yell and get his attention... but I couldn't. I could hardly breathe... or even get any sounds to come out of my mouth. But Samuel saw what was happening and he ran over there. Tess, Samuel pushed Micah out of the way and he... _he_ was the one who got stabbed instead."

"But Andrew," Adam spoke up quietly, but surely. "That is not your fault."

But Andrew shook his head in protest, as a few tears slipped down his cheeks. "It is my fault." He insisted, his voice choked with emotion. "If only I could have gotten there instead. I'm an angel. They can't kill me. If I would have been there instead of lying on the floor, then Samuel would not be dead now."

As Andrew finished his sentence, the sound of someone walking across the barn floor downstairs echoed throughout the building. Hearing this, Andrew and Adam glanced curiously over at Tess, but the older angel had disappeared.

A few minutes later, feet could be heard climbing the rungs of the ladder that led to the loft. After a moment, Sarah's head came into view.

"Andrew, are you up here?" She asked at first. Then she noticed the angel sitting on the bed and a look of relief washed over her. "Oh, you are here. I'm so glad. Do you mind if I come up?" She asked softly.

Andrew shrugged. "I suppose not." He managed hoarsely. Quickly he wiped his hand over his face in hopes of hiding the wet streaks that had found their way onto his cheeks from his tears.

The girl climbed the rest of the way into the loft and that is when she noticed Adam sitting quietly on the crate beside his friend's bed. She gasped with surprise, then looked curiously at him.

"Who are you?" She asked quietly, never taking her eyes off the stranger in front of her.

"My name is Adam. I am a friend of Andrew's." The angel of death smiled weakly. "May I ask what your name is?"

"I'm Sarah Chandler. I, I live here." She nodded and stuttered shyly.

Adam nodded. "I'm pleased to meet you, Sarah."

At that moment Andrew inhaled deeply, then brought his tired green eyes up to look the girl in front of him."Sarah, should you not be in the house... asleep?"

She sighed. "Perhaps. But my mother and father are asleep and do not know that I am out here."

Andrew looked at her. "Why are you out here then?"

He winced as his words came out, as they had come across more impatient than he had intended. He wasn't angry with Sarah, but he really did not feel like talking with her at the moment. He was tired and felt so much guilt and emotion bottled up inside himself, he was afraid he could not hold it in much longer.

Hearing his words, Sarah looked a bit hurt. But she tried to ignore the tone in his voice and responded to him nevertheless. "I was worried about you. When you did not come home this afternoon, I thought maybe..." She let her voice trail off. That is when she noticed his red-rimmed eyes. "Have you been crying, Andrew?"

Upon hearing this, Andrew shook his head quickly. "I am alright, Sarah."

But the child was not convinced. She walked past Adam and went to stand in front of Andrew where he sat on the bed. She looked closer at him and though he ducked his head, letting damp clumps of hair fall to hide his face, she still caught a glimpse of the tears that remained hidden in the corners of his eyes.

"You have been crying." She acknowledged softly, barely above a whisper. Gently she reached out a finger and brushed away the tiny pool of water beneath his eyes. "Why?"

Andrew glanced briefly up at her. He wanted to say something, but when he opened his mouth the words would just not come. He could feel the soft and compassionate manner in which the girl was treating him, breaking the only levy and barrier he held up against the emotions he felt inside. Helplessly, he glanced over at Adam for help.

Seeing this, the angel of death cleared his throat. "I believe that Andrew is feeling badly about what happened today at your father's store, Sarah." Adam explained quietly, never leaving his seat on the crate. "Especially about what happened to Samuel."

Sarah nodded sadly and she looked over at the dark haired angel. "I still cannot believe he is dead. It seems so unreal." She voiced honestly. Then she turned back to Andrew. "But why do you cry, Andrew? You hardly knew Samuel at all."

Andrew let out a shuddering sigh. He really wished that the girl would give up and leave him alone. The love and compassion he could feel coming from her was almost too much for him to handle and he was afraid that it would soon become completely overwhelming.

"Andrew?" She began again. She reached up her finger once more brushed away a stray tear that had managed to escape from the heartbroken angel's eyes.

Feeling her finger gently caress his face, Andrew brought up his hand to it and grasped her smaller hand in his own. Painstakingly, he looked up at her. "Sarah... please... please don't. I, I can't do it."

From the sidelines, Adam watched the scene in front of him. He really was not sure why he was there or what he was supposed to be doing. A part of him was saying that he should kindly send the young girl back into the house, telling her that Andrew needed space, that he would be better in the morning. But another part of him, a stronger part, said not to. He didn't know why, but the gentle heart and spirit of this child had touched his heart and deep down he had a feeling that she was going to be able to reach Andrew on this night where he and Tess could not possibly get to.

The girl was very much attracted to his friend, the angel of death observed. It was quite obvious. But he could also tell that she was somehow drawn to Andrew in an even more profound way, although she herself might not even realize why.

As Adam sat there and watched, he said nothing. He wasn't sure what to say, or even if he should. Sarah seemed to almost have Andrew under some sort of spell. The heartbroken angel was fighting his own emotions for all it was worth, not wanting to let down his barriers in front of the young girl. But he was fighting a losing battle, as far as Adam was concerned. It was obvious that he was very quickly losing ground and was grasping desperately for a way to keep his self in check.

"Andrew, please talk to me." Sarah pressed on. She looked him intently in the eyes and involuntarily shivered, as she could nearly feel the pain that emancipated from them. "Ever since you first came here, you have been there for Elizabeth and me. You let me talk to you about things, and you listened to me. Let me do the same thing for you. Please." She added a bit softly.

Upon hearing these words, Andrew could unwillingly feel the facade he had built up crumble completely. He did not want to, but he could hold it in no longer. The tears he had so desperately fought against began to quickly stream their way down his cheeks and quiet sobs started to emerge from him.

Taken aback, Sarah watched as he lowered his head into his hands and his shoulders gently shook. Her eyes wide, she looked up and took a step towards Adam.

"I, I'm sorry." She whispered to the observing angel. "I made it all worse. I didn't mean to make him cry."

"No, no, no." Adam shook his head and stood up. He walked over to Sarah and knelt down so that he would be on eye level with her. "You did absolutely nothing wrong, Sarah. Today's events have caused Andrew a great deal of pain and he has been holding them in, locked up inside of him. That's not always healthy. You and he may not realize it, but you did him a grand favor."

"I did?" She whispered unbelievably and Adam nodded. She glanced over at Andrew who was seemingly unaware of the conversation between the other two in the room. "But now what am I supposed to do?"

"Just talk to him, sweetheart. He needs someone to listen to him." Adam told her gently with a weak smile. "And then he needs someone to help him understand what he already knows in his heart; that death is not the end of life and that Samuel's death was not his fault."

Sarah looked confused. "His fault? But Adam..."

Adam shook his head. "Shhh, I know, but just talk and listen to him, Sarah. I believe that in doing so; you will do him a lot of good."

Accepting this, the girl nodded. She walked back over to Andrew, where he still sat on the bed, quietly letting the painful emotions escape from him. Timidly, she lowered herself down and sat beside him.

She didn't know what she could say to console him at that moment and she could not help but find it strange to see him let his barriers down so much. She wasn't used to such displays from him, but she accepted it all the same. It was obvious that something terrible was bothering him, other than the tragedy of Samuel's death. Not knowing what else to do, she scooted herself closer to him. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

Andrew felt the girl beside him and he silently returned the embrace. He wanted to say something to her, but he just didn't know what. And even if he did know, he could not have said anything at that moment anyhow, for he was still trying to regain control over his emotions. Instead he just continued to keep his arms wrapped around the compassionate child beside him.

Finally, Sarah looked up at him. "Andrew, will you please talk to me? I know something is hurting you and it would probably help if you would just talk about it."

"I, I don't know, Sarah;" The angel finally managed, as his tears began to cease. "I am not sure that I can."

She shook her head and looked up at him as their embrace loosened. "You can, Andrew. I know it hurts you, but you can. You have to."

Andrew sighed. "Fine. But you will hate me once you hear what I have to say..."

"I won't." She shook her head. "Just tell me, Andrew."

"Alright." The angel gave in. Then, after a small pause of contemplation, he began to unravel the afternoon as he had seen it.

He started his story by telling her about how he had been in the store while her father had talked with Samuel and Micah and about how angry Micah had gotten. He talked about the point at which the trouble making Loyalists from a few days before had returned to the store and how they had brought friends along with them this time. During this, the young girl sat and listened quietly the whole time. She had heard the story earlier that day from Micah and her father, but now she was listening to it from Andrew's point of view.

"Of course, your father had no tea in his store." Andrew continued quietly, his voice still thick from emotion. "The Loyalists saw this and they got very angry. So your sister was sent into the back of the store so that she would not be hurt. After that, the Loyalists just went... completely wild on the store. They threw things, smashed and tore things..."

Sarah shook her head. "What happened next?"

"Micah went after them. I think he was already so angry that he was glad to take it out on these men. So a fight erupted and Samuel... Samuel joined in. But he fought against the Loyalists. It was... it was incredibly heroic of him." Andrew stated slowly. "I did try and help your father, as well. But I am afraid that I was not of much use, I do not fight very well.

"The fighting got worse." Andrew continued. "By this point, everyone had injuries, big and small. But they kept on going. Eventually though, one of the Loyalists pulled out this knife and I saw him do it. He was going after Micah and Micah was so busy fighting someone else, he did not even see this. I, I started to go after them, but got hit... hard by somebody and ended up on the ground. The breath got knocked out of me and for a moment I could not even breathe. I... I just knew that Micah was going to die."

Sarah watched him as his words stopped and a few determined tears found their way down his cheeks. He reached up and brushed them away, then looked over at the girl beside him. "Sarah, I..."

But she shook her head. "Keep going, Andrew." She whispered to him. "What happened next?"

He took a deep, shuddering breath. "Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion and although I wanted to, I could not take my eyes off of Micah. I watched as the Loyalist crept closer and closer up on him and then at the very last moment... Samuel came out of nowhere and purposefully jumped in between Micah and the Loyalist. I saw the knife strike him instead, but he refused to go down. Sarah, Samuel kept fighting until it was all over. And only after it was, after all the Loyalist had gone, did he allow himself to feel the pain. He collapsed on the floor of the store and a few minutes later... he was dead."

"That's when you left the store." She said, though it was more of a statement than a question.

He nodded, not able to trust his voice. Another tear slipped down his cheek as he hung his head.

Sarah observed her friend for a moment, all the while contemplating what she had just been told. Finally she spoke up, her voice soft and filled with understanding.

"You blame yourself, don't you?" She whispered. "You think it is your fault that Samuel is dead."

He nodded. "It is my fault." He affirmed hoarsely, not daring himself to look the girl in the eyes, which he knew were probably at that moment filled with wisdom beyond her years.

Sarah glanced over at Adam, who had been silently standing in a shadowy corner, watching the scene. He nodded encouragingly at the girl, and then she looked back at Andrew.

"It is not your fault, Andrew." She told him surely and with confidence. "You did not hold the knife in your hand, another man did."

He finally willed himself to look up at her. "But I was supposed to save Micah. If I would have been there, then Samuel would not have."

"Andrew, you were _stopped_!" Sarah exclaimed. "You were hurt and stopped and you tried your best. Do not blame yourself for this! It is wrong and untrue. You're telling yourself a lie." She added, this time more softly. "Please stop believing it."

"I, I can't do that, Sarah." He shook his head and with a sigh, he let himself lean back on the bed. He stared up at the roof of the barn and rubbed his face. "Why do you even stay here with me?"

"Because you are my friend, Andrew." The girl replied sincerely. "I cannot let you do this to yourself."

When he did not respond, Sarah felt tears form in her own eyes. She hated to see him do this to himself and she was afraid that if she did not get through to him soon, that he would shut her out completely.

"Andrew, don't shut me out." She pleaded with him. "Let me help you, listen to what I am saying. You're only hurting yourself; you're not making things any better."

Andrew listened to what the girl was telling him and he wanted so desperately to believe her. But he wouldn't let himself. He could not let go of the guilt that had grabbed him the instant the young man's last breath left his body.

He, again, saw the image of the dying man on the floor and he rubbed fiercely at his eyes. But the scene would not leave his mind, no matter how hard he tried. Finally, he looked desperately up at Sarah, who still refused to leave his side.

"Sarah... Samuel is dead." He choked out.

She nodded and spoke gently. "I know."

"Elizabeth... she is completely heartbroken." The angel continued, closing his eyes as if he was trying to shut out the world around him.

"Yes, she is." Sarah confirmed. "She loved him very much."

He shook his head and laid his hand over his face. "It is all my fault."

"No!" Came the girl's instant response. A tear slipped down her face, but she remained strong despite this. "Andrew, stop this! It is not your fault, it's not."

But he was too lost in his guilt to take her words to heart. "They would both be alive right now, if I had only–"

His words came to an instant stop when Sarah desperately thrust her hand over the angels' mouth, in a last desperate attempt to keep him from speaking. Surprised, he looked up at her when she leaned over where he was lying.

"Andrew, stop." She whispered firmly. She took her hand off his mouth and looked at him intently. "It's all nonsense and you have to stop this. Now. You do not know that Samuel would have lived." Sarah told him. "Would-haves and should-haves will not get you anywhere. You tried to help him and that is all you could have done. You tried, but someone stopped you. You did your very best, and sometimes that is all you... or anybody can do."

Tears were streaming down the girl's cheeks by now, but she refused to let it stop her. "No one blames you, Andrew, no one. My father only spoke of how heroically you all fought to defend his store. Never did he or anyone else blame you for Samuel's death. Never. The only one who is doing that is you. Please believe me."

"I want to." He replied softly, looking her in the eye.

"Then do it." She told him. "If not for yourself, then for me. I hate to see you do this to yourself. Andrew, do you believe in God and in Heaven and things like that?"

The angel smiled weakly and nodded. "Yes, I do, Sarah." He admitted quietly.

"Then you know that Samuel is in Heaven. He's alright now." The girl continued. "But you're not alright. Stop blaming yourself. It is not your fault. You did everything you could and everyone knows that; everyone except for you." She wiped her hand across her face where her crying had left wet streaks. "You have to believe that." She added hoarsely.

Seeing the tears on her face, he reached up and with his thumbs he gently brushed them away from under her eyes. "You're crying." He observed softly.

She nodded, as the tears began to fall faster. "You're hurting yourself and it hurts me to watch you to. You're the best friend I've ever had and you're going to lose yourself, I don't want that to happen. Andrew, I love you. And God loves you too. I know He can't be mad at you; He doesn't like to see you sad. Me either."

The angel listened to the girl's words and could not help but be in awe at the message she gave him. How ironic was it that the words she was telling him were ones that should be his own? And yet, while he hated that she had to do that for him, he could not help but feel like truth had been completely dawned on him at that moment. It was as if, all of a sudden, he knew she was right and that she was telling the truth. He believed her that he was not at fault for Samuel's death and was suddenly overwhelmed with relief.

"Sarah…" Andrew started slowly, unsure of what to say. "I, I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. Y-you're right. You are."

She looked at him. "You... you believe me?" She asked him, barely above a whisper.

He nodded. "Yes, Sarah, I do. I believe you. I know that you're right. I won't blame myself for this anymore. I know you're speaking the truth. I guess it just took me a while to get it." He admitted.

The girl's eyes looked hopeful upon hearing this. "You promise?"

He nodded. "Yes. Yes, I promise, Sarah. I'm sorry."

With those words, a look of relief washed over her face and she threw herself into Andrew's arms. Tears continued to fall from both of their eyes, but this time they did not come from guilt and sorrow. This time, their tears came from relief.

As Andrew lay there, he felt his young friend rest her head against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. He felt so bad for having brought the child to tears, yet at the same time, relief had been washed over him and he felt a renewed sense of hope. He wasn't sure what it was exactly that the young girl had said to him that made him come to realize the false guilt he was carrying. Perhaps it was not so much what she said; as much as it was the compassion he could not help but feel just pour out from her heart. Whatever it was, he thanked the Father for allowing him to have a piece of it and he knew that he would never forget it.


	27. Chapter 27

_Welcome to chapter 27 everyone. I am really glad you're all enjoying it. I have definitely enjoyed writing it and it is probably one my favorite stories I've done. It will be winding down soon, which makes me a bit sad too. I m not even sure how many chapters are left exactly, but I can tell you that there will be at least 4 or 5 left. Maybe more. At any rate, I hope you continue to enjoy what is left. Thanks for the reviews!  
_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Adam had been watching quietly as the scene in the loft unfolded in front of him. He knew that his friend and the young girl had by this time completely forgotten about his presence in the room, yet he said nothing. He too felt relief come over him. He had been terribly worried about Andrew and he had also been worried that neither he or Tess would ever be able to reach far enough into the angel's heart to pull out the guilt he carried.

But Sarah had been able to. The angel of death was not sure what it was exactly, but he did know that the child possessed a special gift. She had been able to connect with Andrew in a way no one else would have been able to do. He found it truly remarkable.

He was suddenly brought out of his reverie by the sound of someone behind him. He turned around to find Tess there, a pleased look clearly written across her face.

"Tess," He whispered. "You're back."

She nodded and with a smile, she nodded towards the bed. Adam followed her gaze and could not help but smile as well when he saw the scene in front of him.

Andrew laid there on his bed, his eyes closed, and he was clearly sound asleep. Beside him, lay Sarah. The child's head was rested comfortably atop the angel's chest and, she too, had obviously fallen into a deep sleep.

"They're asleep." He observed with a smile.

"They've both had a rough day." Tess nodded. "It was hard on both of them, but that little girl taught Andrew a few things and they have both grown from the experience. It's unlikely that either of them will ever forget it." She looked over at Adam. "And what did you think of Sarah's little 'revelation', Angel Boy?"

Adam nodded surely. "Impressive. She's got a great heart, Tess. She'd make a wonderful angel."

The older angel chuckled. "Yes, she would. And though that is not going to happen, I do believe the Father has other very special plans in mind for that child."

"I think you're right." Adam agreed.

Tess nodded, then glanced over at the bed once again.

"Now as endearing as this scene may be, this child needs to wake up in her own bed in a couple of hours." Tess said quietly, as to not wake either the girl or angel from their sleep. She walked over to the bed and Adam followed her.

Tess nodded towards Sarah. "Now, let's see if we can get Andrew's little angel here untangled and you can take her to her bedroom."

With Tess' help, Adam began to slowly pull the girl away from Andrew. Without waking her, he gently lifted her up into his arms and stepped away from the bed, waiting for further instruction.

Once the girl was off the bed, Tess picked up a quilt off the foot of the bed. She shook it out and then slowly laid it over the angel who still slept soundly on the bed. He had not stirred once throughout the process and it was obvious that he was completely worn out. Gently, Tess tucked the quilt in around him, then stepped back.

She looked over at Adam, who still stood with the sleeping child in his arms. "Now come on, baby. Let's get this girl into her bed before her parents discover she is gone."

Adam nodded and, holding Sarah, he began to follow Tess out of the loft. They quietly left the barn and went out into the cool night air. Tess led Adam quietly through the back door of the house and then up the stairs. Once they reached the door of the young girl's bedroom, Tess gestured silently for Adam to take the girl to her bed.

The angel of death did as he was instructed and he quietly entered the bedroom. He walked carefully and slowly towards the bed, trying not to step on any squeaky boards. Finally, he reached the bed and then holding Sarah carefully, he used one arm to pull back the quilts. Then he carefully laid the girl down, her head resting on top of a pillow.

Adam paused at that moment and gazed down into the sleeping child's youthful face. He smiled softly as he watched her deep and even breathing, as if she didn't have a care in the world. He could understand why Andrew liked the child so much; he too could not help but feel a certain fondness for her and he had only just met her.

Finally, he sighed tiredly and reached down for a quilt. He took it in his hands and gently pulled it up to the girl's shoulders, tucking her in snugly. He turned to leave the room, but just before he did, he bent down and softly kissed the girl on the forehead.

Then he walked back into the hallway where Tess was waiting for him. She smiled at him when he reached her.

"Are you going all soft on me, Angel Boy?" She chuckled.

Adam smiled softly. "She's such a special girl, Tess. I don't think the Chandler's yet know what a gift they have been blessed with."

"I know, baby." Tess nodded and patted the other angel on the arm. "Now come on, this old angel is worn out. Let's go get some rest."

Adam agreed and wrapped his arm over Tess' shoulder. Then the two of them turned and headed back down the stairs.

* * *

A few hours later, the sun was coming up over the horizon and Andrew woke up bright and early to the sound of of birds chirping outside. A glance outside and no one would have ever thought the day before could have been so horrible. But Andrew knew that it had been. And in case he might have forgotten, the soreness he felt from yesterday's fight reminded him every time he moved of everything that had happened.

He was confused for a few brief moments. The evening before was a blur in his half-asleep mind still. He remembered everything clearly as far as the discussion he had had with Sarah and he remembered how she had made him come to see things as they should be seen. But the last thing he clearly remembered was the embrace that they had held one another in afterwards. His only guess as to what happened after that was that he had fallen asleep and Sarah went back to the house, or that they had both ended up sleeping and Adam took care of the girl.

Either way, Andrew still felt much better than he had the night before. Every little while, guilt would try and worm its way back into the angel's heart and thoughts, but he refused to let it happen.

But he was still feeling confused. What was his assignment about? Was it over? Samuel was gone and he was a key part of the whole thing. If he was such a key part... and now he was gone... did that mean that Andrew's assignment was now over too? He wasn't sure, but the thought of it all put a knot in the angel's stomach.

As quickly as he could, without agitating his bruises and injuries, he got dressed for the day and began to head towards the house. He was about half way there, but paused in the path when he met Sarah along the way.

"Good morning, Andrew. " She greeted him.

He smiled at her. "Good morning. How are you this morning?" He asked her quietly.

She yawned. "Well, I am a bit tired after everything yesterday, but I'm alright." She looked at him curiously. "Did you take me up to my room last night?"

He shook his head. "No, I think we fell asleep, Sarah. I imagine that my friend Adam brought you to the house."

She nodded. "I liked Adam. He seemed like a real nice friend."

Andrew smiled weakly and nodded. "He is, I'm glad you like him."

"Andrew?" The girl asked softly, after a pause of silence.

He looked at her expectantly. "What is it, Sarah?"

"Are you alright now?" The girl asked him, concern in her voice. "I mean, you're still feeling better, right?"

He nodded. "Yes. I am fine now, Sarah. I want to thank you again for your help last night. What you told me... those words were things I needed to hear. You are a true friend."

She smiled weakly and nodded and they once again began to slowly walk to the house. There was only silence for a moment, then she glanced up at him. "Samuel's funeral is tomorrow, you know." She said softly.

"Is it?." Andrew replied. The image of the young man on the floor once again flashed before the angel's eyes, but he refused to let himself feel the guilt he had finally begun to remove.

"Father was talking about it this morning... and he even said that he died heroically." Sarah commented.

"Samuel was a very good man, Sarah." Andrew nodded slowly. "It takes a lot of courage to do something like that."

"I can see why Elizabeth liked him so much." Sarah commented.

"How is she, by the way?" Andrew stopped and looked at the young girl beside him.

"She was quite worked up last evening over everything." The girl replied. "But she seemed a little better this morning. Not a whole lot better, mind you. But she was better. Andrew, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course." He replied.

"Andrew, why would Samuel die saving Micah?" She asked. "Samuel was a Loyalist. Micah is a Patriot. My father and Micah hate Loyalists, I thought. Why would Samuel do something like that to save somebody who hated him?"

Andrew just shook his head. "I do not know the answer to that question, Sarah. I do know that it takes a lot of integrity to do what he did. He could see further than just black or white, Sarah. He saw people. Not just where they stood politically."

"I wish my father could see things like that." Sarah said sadly. "You know how he is, Andrew."

Andrew grimaced and nodded. "Yes, I do."

"I guess I was kind of hoping that he would be different when he woke up this morning." She commented. "I thought maybe he'd be sorry about the things he's said about Samuel. But even though he said that Samuel died heroically, he still didn't act like he liked him. Or that he was sorry."

"Your father is a good man though, Sarah. He's a little confused, but he loves you all very much." The angel told her softly.

She smiled weakly. "Andrew, I am glad you're here."

"I'm glad I am here too." He agreed.

They then started back to the house. When they got back inside, Mary immediately noticed that her husband's apprentice was back.

"Andrew," She exclaimed, setting some bowls on the table. "We missed you last evening."

"Yes ma'am." Andrew nodded. "I am sorry I did not come home right away. I'm afraid that I... I was not thinking too clearly, I suppose. How is Elizabeth?" He then asked quietly, changing the subject.

"She is mourning the loss of Samuel." Mary told him sadly. "It is a horrible thing that happened. Samuel died saving Micah, Andrew. The lad had more in him than my husband will give him credit for. It's a pity, really."

"Where is John, by the way?" Andrew asked her.

She sighed and shook her head. "He left for the store early this morning, Andrew. I tried to keep him home today, but he refused. He went anyway and if I understand correctly, it is a mess in there. I am sure he wanted to get it cleaned up before he opened. He said that if you had returned, then not to wake you; that you could just show up at the normal time."

Andrew nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Chandler, but I think that I will go ahead and head over there. He could use some help. Please excuse me. And give my apologies to Elizabeth." He added softly. "I know she is hurting."

She nodded. "I will, Andrew. Thank you."

He turned and headed into the kitchen like he did every morning and also like every morning, he found Tess preparing breakfast. Adam was also in the room and was sitting at the table. Both angels smiled at him when he entered.

"Good morning, Angel Boy." Tess greeted him.

Andrew nodded. "Good morning." He greeted his friends quietly. He then looked at the angel of death curiously. "Do the Chandlers know that you're here, Adam?"

Adam shook his head and bit into a hot biscuit. "No, I have made a point of staying out of human sight; for now, at least.. But I couldn't just leave altogether... I'd miss out on Tess' cooking." He added slyly.

From her place at the stove, Tess snorted at the angel's comment. Then she looked over at Andrew. "How are you, baby? Are you feeling better after listening to what Sarah had to say last night?"

Andrew nodded and went to go sit down at the kitchen table, across from Adam. "Yes, Tess, I am and I am sorry that I worried everyone." He apologized softly. "I just... couldn't bear to come back here with everyone last night. I just thought for sure that... well, you know."

She stirred the pot on the stove. "You did nothing wrong, Andrew. We told you that."

"Tess is right, buddy." Adam joined in, his baritone voice and gray eyes soft. "In this world, life comes with so many surprises. So much happens that no one understands except for God. Not even angels. The more time you spend here with humans, the more you come to see it. Every day people are born. Every day people live, but you know, sometimes... sometimes people..."

"They die." Andrew finished off quietly.

Adam nodded. "That's right. They do. But Andrew, you're an angel. You know... you _know_ that Samuel is at Home with the Father. His death is not your fault and I know that you know that, as well. So why do you still seem to insist on beating yourself up about it?"

"Because I didn't finish my assignment in time. Now it is over." Andrew shook his head slowly.

"No." Tess responded firmly. "Samuel is with the Lord now, Andrew, but your assignment is still very much alive. And you need to finish it."

"But how, Tess?" Andrew questioned her, finally meeting her eyes. "Such a big key to my assignment being Samuel... I think it would be rather impossible to have Samuel and Elizabeth together now."

Adam looked perplexed. "Is _that_ his assignment, Tess?" Adam asked, obviously surprised. "His first case working job is to play matchmaker?" He shook his head. "Amazing. Definitely beats my first case."

But Tess was not amused. "Andrew, is that what you thought? You still think that your assignment rides on those two being together? I thought that days ago, I told you otherwise."

Andrew just shrugged.

"Andrew, if those two would have been able to have a happy ending together, that would have been wonderful." Tess said. "But, baby, you know that things don't always go the way we plan them. And just as the world doesn't, your assignment does not revolve around romantic love. I know it may have appeared that way, but it doesn't."

"But Tess," Andrew looked confused. "You said it had to do with Samuel. And you said it was about loyalty and love. I just thought..."

"I understand what you must have thought," Tess replied. "But the kind of love we're here for is a different kind of love. Andrew, we are here to help John and to show him _how_ to love."

"John?" Adam and Andrew both asked at the same time. Having not been there to observe the assignment, Adam was beginning to feel rather confused as to what it was really about. Overwhelmed, he was suddenly very thankful that he was just there at that moment to give moral support and nothing more.

"Yes. John." Tess concluded. "Andrew, you have spent quite a bit of time with this man these last few days. What do you know about him?"

Andrew shrugged. "He is a good man, Tess. He loves his family very much."

"And what else?" Tess prodded him to continue.

"And he is a Patriot." Andrew continued. "He feels like many others; that a king, who lives so far away, should not try to tell them what to do. John hates the king, Tess. And he hates anyone who supports the king and his army."

Tess just smiled and nodded.

Suddenly Andrew's eyes lit up as the entire point of his assignment dawned on him. "Tess, that is it. Isn't it? That is what my assignment is about. I... I need to show John how to love... but not just those who agree with him."

"That's right, Angel Boy." Tess praised him. "You have it. I think you know what you have to do now."

Andrew nodded, but then suddenly looked unsure. "Tess," He began, even as he tried to push the guilty feelings that were determined to try and claim him once again. "You are sure that what happened to Samuel... you are sure that... that it is not my fault?"

"Andrew, people can do some evil things." Tess explained to him. "Killing is one of those things. That man who killed Samuel, George Proctor, it is his fault that that boy is dead. He had free will and choice. He chose to kill, baby. And that is not your fault. Now I do not want you to blame yourself for that another minute. Do you understand me?"

Andrew nodded. "Yes. I understand, Tess. I just wish it didn't have to happen this way."

"We all do, buddy." Adam commented quietly.

"Babies, you both know how great the Father is. You know how He can turn bad things into something better." Tess reminded them. "And this time is no exception. From the instant Samuel's soul left his body, God has been working a plan into action."

"He has?" Andrew looked at her.

Tess nodded. "Yes, of course. Don't be so surprised, And He wants you to finish His plan, Andrew. Samuel's death has the potential to affect John and Micah in a way that nothing else could. You just need to make sure that they see that."

Andrew nodded quietly and Tess sighed. "Now you need to be getting down to that store." She told Andrew. "Because you have a job to finish up this afternoon. And if you do as well as I think you will, this may be one of your last days here."

Andrew nodded and stood up. He looked at Adam.

"Will you be leaving now?" He asked him sadly.

The angel of death just shrugged. "I have some assignments of my own I need to take care of for a while. But I'll be back to see you both real soon."

Andrew nodded, then felt Tess tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see her standing there, a hot biscuit in her hand.

"All right, now take this." She told him, handing him the bread. "Eat that on your way there. And one more thing, baby, that I want you to remember."

"What's that?" He asked, taking the hot piece of bread she offered.

"You will not be alone, Andrew." She reminded him.

He smiled. "I know."

Then after bidding both Tess and Adam good bye, Andrew left the kitchen and headed outside. Once he had started down the road towards town, he took a deep breath, and tilted his head up.

"Father," He began. "Thank you for Tess and Adam's help. And definitely for the words and wisdom you gave Sarah to share with me. I could never have done this without any of their help. And I am sorry for jumping to so many conclusions during this case. It seems that I thought everything about this case except for what it was really about. Well, I know what I am supposed to do now. And I am going to do it right this time. I really do want to be the very best I can be for you, Father." Andrew finished up.

And with those words, he continued on to the store. And this time he carried more hope and real confidence than he ever had in the days before. As terrible as the day before had been, he finally felt that things were going to start heading in a much better direction.


	28. Chapter 28

_Hi and welcome to the next chapter. Again, ginormous thanks to those of you who have faithfully reviewed every single chapter of this story. The numbers I am getting here are incredible, so thanks for breaking my record, all of you!_

_I'm glad that you are enjoying Adam's part in this. He is one of my favorite angels, so I usually do try and find a place to put him. _

_So now, without further ado, I give you…_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Andrew walked into John Chandler's general store just a little while later to find the shopkeeper busy cleaning things up after the fight the day before. There was a dark stain the floor from where Samuel had laid and Andrew could not help but feel sick upon seeing it.

John turned around upon hearing the door open and when he saw Andrew, he looked surprised. "Andrew, you're back..." He began.

Then seeing the expression on the angel's face as he simply stood and stared at the blood stain, John cleared his throat. "Andrew, lad, why don't you run into the back and fetch that small rug in the corner by my desk."

Andrew nodded. "Aye, of course."

He went quickly to the back of the store and found the old rug that the shopkeeper was talking about. He then brought it back up to the front and gave it to John, who laid it carefully over the stain on the floor.

"There now," The shopkeeper commented softly, glancing back at Andrew. "I think that will do for now, don't you?'

Andrew nodded. "Yes sir." He said quietly. "I think it will have to."

"I did not see you all evening yesterday. I figured you needed some time to yourself after what happened." John cocked his head and studied the angel carefully. "Yet you are still rather shook up by all of this, aren't you, lad?"

Andrew looked surprised. "Why, yes sir. What happened here yesterday was... it was a horrible, horrible thing. I would not think that anyone could just get over something like that so quickly."

John shrugged and turned to pick up some pots that had been knocked off a shelf. "What is done is done." He said simply, as he examined the pots to check for dents.

Andrew could not believe what he was hearing and for a moment was speechless. But he quickly regained his voice and when he spoke, his voice depicted anger and shock.

"A man died yesterday!" The angel exclaimed.

John whipped around, anger flashing in his eyes. "A Loyalist died, lad! A Loyalist!"

"Yes, but he died saving Micah! A Patriot!" Andrew replied. "And your daughter loved him! Does none of this mean anything to you?"

"My daughter should never have known Samuel Carroll in the first place." John stated. "If she would have abided by my wishes, then none of this would have happened."

"You're wrong." Andrew retorted.

"I beg your pardon?" John asked with surprise, as he looked the angel in the eye. "I will not have my apprentice speaking to me in such a manner, lad."

"You are wrong, sir." Andrew continued strongly, despite the shopkeeper's warning. "It was not Elizabeth's love for Samuel that caused his death. It was hate. Those men would have come in here anyway, whether you were having this discussion with those young men or not. They would have come. And had not Samuel been here, it very well could have been Micah lying there on the floor. Something tells me though that Micah would have meant more to you than a blood stain on the floor that you hide away with a spare rug!"

"Silence!" John shouted his face red from anger.

Andrew was taken aback at first by the man's anger, but he ignored it easily. He was already feeling too angry towards the man and his attitude to stop making his point.

"It was hate, John." Andrew repeated. "That is what brought those men here yesterday. They hate you just as much as you hate them. Hate is what killed Samuel and hate is what you have been teaching Micah these last few years. And hate is what will, in the end, destroy you and perhaps even your family if you do not learn to change!"

"What do you know?" John seethed, angry that his apprentice was taking such a stand and attitude with him. "You area a nothing. You are just an apprentice!"

"I know more than you may think." Andrew said his voice softer this time. He paused for a moment, and then had to smile slightly. There it was. Tess had said that he would know when the time was right for a revelation and she had been correct. Andrew took a deep breath. The time was now.

"I know this, sir, because I am an angel." Andrew stated, looking the man in the eye. He began to glow and this made the angel smile. "I was sent here by God to help you and your family."

John's eyes widened at the sight of who he had thought to be merely an apprentice. "Surely you are joking?" The man asked, astonishment clearly showing in his voice.

Andrew shook his head. "No, I am not. And I do realize that I may not seem like an angel you would expect. I have thought that myself a time or two. But I am."

Still in shock, John replied quietly. "I do not deserve an angel."

"That is the beauty of grace, John." Andrew told the man. "It makes life not fair. Besides, God does not care whether you 'deserve' an angel or not. He loves all of us. And He loves you too. He wants you to know that so that He can help you."

"What are you here for?" Was the shopkeeper's next question.

"Well, there is a funny story behind that." Andrew started. "You see, I did not know that myself at first. While I have always been an angel, I am rather new at this particular line of work; interacting with you humans, you see. I was a little confused at first as to what I was needed here for. But then Tess-"

"Tess? Is she an angel too?" John interrupted, clearly overwhelmed by all of this.

Andrew smiled and nodded. "Yes she is. And she told me to keep watching your family, that eventually I would understand what it was you needed. So I did. I watched and I observed. I have learned a lot in these last few days. And not just about how to run a store properly. I learned about you humans and about the way you live. I learned the difference between you Patriots and Loyalists, but I also learned about your similarities. Ones that you may not even see."

"What similarities?" John shook his head. "We are complete opposites."

"No you aren't." Andrew disagreed. "You're very much the same. You both have strong feelings for what you believe in. You both think that you are the ones doing the right thing, that the other person is confused or just plain cruel even. You both have families that you love, dreams you want to come true someday. But there is something else too. You both hate." Andrew added sadly. "You hate each other, John. The same way that you hate those Loyalists; they hate you. Neither one of you thinks of yourself as the wrong one nor you cannot or will not let yourself see past the uniform each person wears. This hate is costing people's lives."

John sighed overwhelmed. "Well, what am I supposed to do about that? I cannot stop a war, Andrew. Surely God knows that. This fight has already begun and will not be stopped until somebody has won."

"God does not want you to stop _this_ war, John. Not this one between these colonies and the British Empire." Andrew shook his head. "He just wants you to stop your own war; the one going on in your heart. Could you not just stop hating long enough to look around you? Think of all the good things you could do for people and for God if you were not so busy chasing off every Loyalist that came into your store."

"I do not want to be so hateful, Andrew." John replied, his eyes full of sincerity. "I just... just feel so strongly about this land. I cannot bear the thought of the king dictating what we do here. He has no right. Do you not understand this?"

"I am an angel, John. Who is right and who is wrong here... I can form my own opinions, but is not for me to decide. That is God's job. But what I do understand is this." Andrew told him truthfully. "That God loves everyone. Not just Patriots and not just the Loyalists. Everyone. It breaks His heart to see His children killing and hating one another."

"Well, what can I do?" John asked quietly. He still did not look like he had quite gotten over the fact that his apprentice was actually an angel of God.

"Just love." Andrew said simply. "That is all He wants from you. People disagree every day, but it does not have to evolve into... into this." He waved his hands around, indicating the messy store. "You can associate with people you do not agree with, John. And better yet, you can love them and make a difference in the lives of people here in these colonies by doing that." The angel took a deep breath. "Do you remember when I first came here, you told me that you wished there was something more that you could do for this cause that you believe so strongly in?"

John nodded.

"You do not have to go to war to do that." Andrew continued. "You can do that right here in Lattinburg, in your own store. Simply by loving everyone and treating them all with dignity and respect. Trust me," He added softly. "It can make all the difference in the world."

John just nodded, unable to speak at first. Then he looked at Andrew once again. "Can you... would you please tell Him that I am sorry?"

Andrew smiled. "You can tell Him that yourself. You know, you do not have to be an angel to talk with the Father. As matter of fact, I believe He would love to hear from you personally, rather than just through me."

John nodded. Then the man slowly bowed his head. "God, please forgive me for the way I have treated so many people I have met. I know that it is wrong and I really am very sorry. I want to do better now, I really do. And I am going to try. Thank you for sending Andrew to me. I know that what he says is true and all I ask of You now is that You give me an opportunity to turn this all around. Give me a chance to do some good and love people, instead of this hate that I have been carrying around with me for so long. Amen."

When he finished, he looked over at Andrew for approval. "How was that?"

Andrew smiled. "Well done, sir. Just wonderful."

John then sighed. "So I guess you will be leaving my family and I now, right?"

Andrew nodded. "I will be. But not just yet. I will stay with you today and continue to help you out in your store. I am not quite sure exactly when I will be leaving. Tess did not exactly clarify all of that with me yet." He added.

There was silence for a moment, and then Andrew looked at John in the eye sincerely. "You are a good man, John Chandler. You really are."

John gave the angel a small smile. "Thank you, Andrew. That means more to me than you will probably ever know."

Andrew could not help but smile as the glow around him began to fade. He had done it. His very first revelation as a caseworker.

Just then, the door to the store opened and Sarah came slowly inside with a list of things Mary and Tess needed at the house. The girl was unusually quiet as John helped her gather the things on her list. While this went on, Andrew silently began to start cleaning up the store, but before he did he glanced upward.

"Thank you, Father." He whispered.

* * *

The rest of the day went by without further incident. Andrew and John managed to get the store cleaned up in time for them to open, and though people had already heard about what had happened inside the day before, there was no evidence of the event for them to see. The rug remained on the floor covering the blood stain of Samuel, and if anyone had suspicions of what it was there for, they said nothing.

Andrew went back to his job as an apprentice for the shopkeeper and was surprised by the easy transition back from his revelation as an angel to being back once again as the apprentice. He had originally thought it might be awkward, but he soon found that it was not. John, Andrew decided, was partially to credit for that. The man also seemed to slip back into regular mode fairly quickly. Andrew knew that John could still hardly believe that he had spoken with an angel, but the man was slowly getting used to the fact.

Eventually they reached the end of the day and together John and Andrew closed up the shop. As they left the store, Andrew gave one last long look about the place. He knew that it could very well be the last time he saw the place and it wasn't something that he wanted to forget right away. His eyes came to rest on the rug on the floor once more, and for a brief moment he saw the scene over again. The young Loyalist lying on the floor, Elizabeth leaning over him with tears streaming down her cheeks. He shook his head sadly. It was such a terrible thing to have happened. The angel could not help but wish things could have turned out differently.

"Are you ready?" John's voice broke into Andrew's thoughts,

Andrew nodded slowly and turned to follow the shopkeeper out of the store. "Aye, sir."

But it did not turn out differently. Samuel Carroll was in Heaven with God now and Elizabeth was heartbroken. But John... John had learned an important lesson that day. One he was not likely to soon forget. The man had seen a person who had within him true love and loyalty. And now he knew what it felt like when that person was taken away.


	29. Chapter 29

_Welcome to chapter twenty-nine of this story. The reviews and encouragement you are giving have been incredible, so thanks again for that._

_**Yva J**, thanks for pointing out that typo. It's been fixed. I'm glad you liked the revelation scene. It was nice to finally give our poor Angel Boy the glowing moment he deserves. ;-)_

_**Jenni-OnThisSide**, you are so right. Andrew is not __"just an apprentice". It pained me to even write that... poor love..._

_**Garjzlavarden**, It's good to hear that you're still enjoying the story. __I am really appreciating your comments!_

_With my comments made, thanks again for the support. You all rock! Enjoy the next chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

As Andrew and John made their way slowly home that evening, they talked very little. Andrew did not know if that was because John was tired or if the man just did not know what to say. Truthfully, Andrew did not really know what to say either. His revelation was over and talking merely about how busy the store had been earlier seemed a bit silly after all that had transpired within the last twenty-four hours. So he opted to say nothing at all and remained quiet as they walked.

It was not long though before both man and angel could hear shouts coming from further up the road. They were angry shouts and Andrew shot the shopkeeper a curious look.

"What is that?" He asked.

John shook his head. "I am not quite sure. Whatever it is though, it does not sound like a friendly get together to me."

They each quickened their pace, both very curious as to what was going on. A few minutes later they rounded a bend in the road to find a group of young men off to the side of the road. It was obvious that a fight was going on, but as to who was winning and who was losing, that was not very easy to tell.

John looked at Andrew. "Hold on." he told him.

Andrew then followed John as the man hurried over to the group of about five young men and listened to what the shopkeeper said to them.

"Stop this at once!" John shouted over the young men's own shouts. "What is the meaning of this?"

At closer inspection, Andrew and John could see that among the group of young men, there was one kneeling on the ground who appeared like he had been beat around quite a bit. His shirt was torn, his hair full of twigs, and his face covered in grime and blood.

One of the young men standing looked at John curiously. "Why do you care what we are doing? You are a Patriot and I know that you would spit on any Redcoat, if you had the chance!"

John just shook his head. "One of you lads had better tell me right this instant what is going on here. I want an explanation."

The ringleader of the group sighed and pointed at the beat-up young man on the ground. "He is a Loyalist." He stated, as if that said it all.

John nodded and then glanced over at the Loyalist. Suddenly the storekeeper gasped with surprise. Andrew looked more carefully at the young man and then recognized him as one of the Loyalists who had come into the store the day before. This man had not been the one to kill Samuel, yet he did cause a great deal of damage. Realizing this, Andrew took in a sharp breath and looked to see what John would do.

The shopkeeper looked angry upon recognizing the beaten young man. Both knew that it was not the same man that had killed Samuel, yet it was obvious to Andrew that the shopkeeper still had a raging battle going on inside of him. John had a choice. He could help the Loyalist and rescue him from the angry Patriots who would give him no mercy. Or he could not. The choice was his and it was not an easy one to make. Andrew just waited silently to see what John would do. He knew what the right thing was to do, but that was definitely not the easiest one. Andrew could not help but feel angry himself as he stared at the Loyalist.

Finally, after a long silence John took a step closer to the young Loyalist. Everyone just stood and watched, not daring to say a word. They were all curious as to what the shopkeeper would do. John just stared at him for a moment, his face void of any emotion at all. Then he slowly raised up his hand, causing everyone to be sure he would hit the young man. The Loyalist looked sure of this as well, and Andrew noticed that he braced himself for impact.

But then to the surprise of every single one there, John lowered his hand and held it out to the Loyalist in offering. "Take my hand, lad." John said softly. "Let me help you up."

No one watching said a word as this happened, but no one could hide the expressions of surprise on their faces. The young Loyalist, too, looked a little bewildered and he hesitated for a moment. Then he slowly raised up his hand and gripped John's offered one.

John slowly helped pull him to his feet, but the young man could hardly stand after the thorough beating he had received from the four other young men. Seeing this, John sighed and wrapped his arm around the young man, helping to support him. As Andrew watched the scene unfold before him, he shook his head and then quickly went to assist the shopkeeper.

Finally, one of the younger Patriots found his voice. "What are you doing, Mr. Chandler?" he asked in complete shock. "This is a Loyalist!"

"One of the very ones that came into your store yesterday turned hell loose upon you!" Another Patriot spat angrily.

John looked angrily at them. "I am quite aware of that." He stated, his eyes dark. "And I am quite aware of what am doing. I suggest you lads disperse immediately, or else I will see that there are consequences for this. Good day." And with those words he turned his back on the men.

The young Patriots only looked at one another for a moment and then without saying another word, slowly began to drift from the scene. When they were gone, Andrew smiled at John.

"You did a wonderful thing, sir." He told the man softly. "The right thing."

John sighed. "The right thing is not always easy, Andrew. It would have been so... so much easier to just help those boys finish this one off." He glanced at the young man who he continued to support. "But what is done is done, and Andrew, I would really appreciate it if you would help me get this lad home. I think he could use some attention."

Andrew nodded. "Yes sir."

So John and Andrew each grabbed a supporting hold on the young man's arms and together they began to help him down the road. As they walked home, Andrew kept finding himself watching John's face. He was still quite surprised at the man's actions with the Patriots and the Loyalist just minutes before. The day before, Andrew was sure that the shopkeeper would have been glad to join the other men in ganging up on the Loyalist. But today he hadn't. Today he had chosen against the hate, though it had not been at all easy. When the man had prayed to God to give him an opportunity to change his hate into love, he had been serious and God had given him the opportunity he asked for.

* * *

A little while later, they arrived back at the Chandler home. The young Loyalist they helped along the way was not in much better shape by the time they arrived, but they had managed to learn his name during the walk home.

As they came up the walkway towards the house, Mary saw them coming and hurried outside to see what was happening.

"John," She asked when she reached them. "Who is this? What happened?"

John shook his head and shifted his weight slightly under the nearly unconscious man he held up. "Mary, this is Thomas Goodson. We found him being beaten along the side of the road. I do believe that he could use your attention."

Mary nodded. "Of course. Quickly now, help me get him inside and upstairs."

Andrew and John nodded and began to follow the woman into the house and up the stairs. She led them into the very bedroom that Andrew had been laid up in only days before.

"Lay him here." She walked over to the bed and patted it slightly. Then after they had helped Thomas into the bed, she handed Andrew an empty pitcher. "Andrew, dear, would you please run and ask Tess for some hot water and a washrag? This young man needs some cleaning up."

Andrew nodded and took the pitcher. "Yes ma'am, of course. I will be right back."

As Andrew disappeared down the stairs, Mary pulled her husband aside and whispered into his ear. "John, what happened? Who is this?"

"We were coming home and came across a group of about four men beating on this young man here." John sighed. "I broke it up, but Thomas here was in pretty bad shape, as you can see, so we brought him home with us. Mary, he can hardly stand on his own. We have to help him."

She glanced back over at the young man, lying with his eyes closed on the bed. Then she looked back at John. "So... these men that beat him; they were Loyalists, I imagine?"

John paused a moment. He glanced over at Thomas and sighed. Then he looked his wife in the eye. "No. Mary, the men that beat him... they were Patriots. And Thomas... Thomas is a Loyalist."

Mary looked shocked. "A Loyalist? John, what has come over you? Just yesterday your store was torn apart by Loyalists. A young man your daughter loved was killed by one. I would have thought that you would never have stopped to help this man."

John considered telling Mary about how Thomas Goodson was one of the very men in the store the day before, but he decided against the idea. He was not sure how his wife would take it and he knew that the young man needed caring for. Instead, John took his hands and gently rested them on Mary's arms.

"Your are right. Yesterday I would have probably joined them. Or I would have at least just continued along my way. I never would have given thought to helping him. But Mary," John said softly, his face earnest. "I want to change my ways. I have been so hateful and I have been so wrong. I am not yet a completely changed man, Mary. But I want to be. I am trying and with God's help, I can change."

"God?" She looked at hims strangely. It was not that she did not believe in God, but that it was so unlike her husband to act the way he was. "John, what has happened to you today?"

"I met an angel, Mary." The shopkeeper told his wife sincerely. "Well, I did not exactly meet him. I have known him for a while now. You have too. We just did not know who he really was."

"An angel?" Mary's eyes looked doubtful. "John, you are acting so strange. You're beginning to frighten me. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I could not be better." He nodded. "Mary, Andrew is an angel. A real angel... sent by God."

She tried to interrupt, but John continued. "No, listen. I know it sounds crazy, but it is true. Trust me, I was there. Mary, he looked completely normal one moment and the next... there was this light radiating out of him that was... it was just so amazing, so beautiful I cannot even begin to describe it. But it was God's love in that light and I could feel it. I could feel it and it was the most amazing thing I have have experienced in my entire life."

Mary shook her head. "John, I want to believe you, but I..."

"Mary, he told me what I was doing was wrong." John continued earnestly "He told me how God wanted me to love, even as much as I dislike these Loyalists. And it is not easy and I don't want to. A part of me wants to hate these Loyalists with every ounce of strength I can possibly muster. But after seeing who Andrew really was... and after feeling the love of God that came from him, it makes me want to try and be different and to be what God wants me to be. Don't you understand, Mary? I had an experience today I will never forget as long as I live and it is changing me for the better. I promise that to you. With all my heart, I promise that to you."

But Mary still looked doubtful and as much as she wanted to believe her husband, she couldn't. With a sigh, she just shook her head and turned back to the Loyalist on the bed behind them.


	30. Chapter 30

_Well, here we go: the 30__th__ chapter of this story. Thanks to all of you have been reviewing. It's been great motivation and it's always nice to hear that people are enjoying what they read._

_**Yva J**__, thanks for pointing out that typo, it's been fixed. I'm glad I could surprise you with the fight in the road. I was wondering if people would expect something like that. ;-)_

_**Zarz**__, I'm so glad to hear that you've been reading and enjoying this. Thanks for coming out and letting me know. As for Adam coming back… I guess you'll just have to wait and see. ;-)_

_**WynterSnow**__, it's good to know you've been enjoying this too. And you're right: Andrew didn't get enough screen time. And, boy, I would have loved to see him dressed from this time period too. What a treat. ;-)_

_**Jenni-OnThisSide**__, thanks for keeping up with this project. It's great to know that you're enjoying it, and I hope you continue to!_

_Again, thanks for all your support. You all rock!_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty**

Downstairs, Andrew entered the kitchen to find Tess chopping up some potatoes for supper that night. She smiled at Andrew when he came in, but looked curious about the pitcher he held.

"Tess, Mrs. Chandler wanted me to ask you for some hot water and a washrag." Andrew began. "There is a young man upstairs that John and I found on our way here. He's hurt and.. he is a Loyalist, Tess."

"A Loyalist?" Tess smiled even bigger, as she put a pot of water on the stove. "Well, it looks like that shopkeeper is starting to change his ways a bit."

Andrew nodded and looked about the room. "Where is Adam?"

"He had some assignments of his own to take care of. But don't worry, baby. He told me to let you know that he'll be back." The older angel explained, and she smiled at him with assurance. "And Andrew, I have it on high authority that you did exceptionally well with your revelation."

Andrew looked surprised, yet happy just the same. "Did I? Oh Tess, that is wonderful!"

She nodded. "The Father is very proud of you, Andrew. You're going to make a fine caseworker."

He smiled happily, and then looked at Tess curiously. "Then... are we done here, Tess? I did my job and now John is upstairs helping a Loyalist. Is there anything more for us to do?"

She nodded. "Baby, you did your revelation, but that does not mean our job is finished. You and I both have a little bit of work to do yet, but it should not take long."

"What's that?" Andrew questioned her.

"I know one heartbroken young lady that could use some encouragement tonight. And another who I imagine would be hurt if a certain angelic apprentice left without even saying good bye." Tess added with a wink.

Andrew cocked his head. "Well what about you?"

Tess placed her hands firmly on her hips and looked him in the eye. "You just do what you have to do, Mr. Halo and I will do what I have to do. You got that?"

Andrew nodded, a smile playing on his lips. "Oh, of course, Tess."

"Good." And she went back to her potatoes.

* * *

A few minutes later, Andrew found himself following Tess back up the stairs and into the bedroom where Thomas, John, and Mary still were. Tess had insisted on bringing the water herself, for whatever reason Andrew was not sure of, but he knew better than to argue with her.

No one was speaking when they entered. All was silent and it appeared to Andrew that Mary as almost avoiding interacting with her husband at all.

"Thank you for the water, Tess." Mary spoke up when Tess handed her the pitcher. "I am afraid this young man here found some trouble along the road. John and Andrew brought him back and he needs some help."

Tess looked at the young man in the bed and nodded. "He sure does. Here baby, let me help you with this." Tess told the woman and she began to help her inspect and clean the young man's wounds.

As they started, Tess turned and gave Andrew and John a meaningful look. "I believe we have things covered up here now." She told them.

Andrew nodded, knowing that Tess was implying that she wished to be somewhat more alone with Mary, so he turned and left the room. John could also take the hint and he followed Andrew out of the room.

Once the two were gone, Tess glanced once more over at Thomas and could see that he had fallen asleep and did not even stir as Mary gently began to dab the blood off his face.

"So your husband brought this boy home, did he?" Tess began quietly, trying to get her assignment to talk.

"Yes." Mary nodded. "He did, but Tess, John is starting to worry me now."

"Why is that?" Tess questioned. "Because he did a good deed? Why is that something to be concerned about?"

Mary shook her head. "Ordinarily, it would not. But Tess, this young man here; this Thomas Goodson, he is a Loyalist. I am sure you are quite aware of how my husband feels about them. Or at least how I thought he felt about them."

Tess nodded. "So what has made him change?"

Mary lifted the washrag from Thomas' face and looked up at Tess. "Honestly, I am not sure what the truth is. But he says that... that he talked with an angel today."

"Imagine that." Tess raised her eyebrows.

"What? Are you saying you believe him?" Mary looked surprised.

"Don't you?" Tess cocked her head.

"No! I mean, yes, or..." She sighed looked hopelessly at the angel in front of her. "I don't know what I believe, Tess. I want to believe him. I really do. But do you know who he said the angel was?"

Tess smiled. "Would that happen to be Andrew, your husband's apprentice?"

Mary looked shocked and nodded slowly. "Yes. How did you know?"

Tess smiled and a glow began to radiate off her, just as it had off Andrew earlier that morning. "Because, Mary Chandler, I am an angel as well. And just as Andrew was sent to your husband, the Father has sent me here for you."

Astonished, Mary dropped her wash rag back into the bowl on the bedside table. "You... you're an angel?" She asked, never taking her eyes off of Tess.

Tess nodded. "Yes, I am. Mary, I have been with you and your family for weeks. You just did not know it."

"Why did God send my family an angel?" Mary asked. "Of all families, why us?"

"There are many changes taking place in this world." Tess told the woman. "One of these changes is this war that has been started. Now I have been here for a few weeks and after some short observation, it became clear to me that your husband has very strong opinions about this new country you live in. And that is fine; it is a wonderful thing to love your country and trust me; this one has so much potential." She smiled softly. "But John has also been filled with so much hate against those who support the king that it has begun to hurt others around him. He cannot go on like this though, Mary, or he will destroy not only himself but so many people around him."

"So God sent Andrew to talk to my husband?" Mary asked, her eyes still full of wonder at what was happening before her.

Tess smiled and nodded. "He did, Mary, and Andrew spoke to your husband this morning."

"So that is why my husband is so different since only this morning." Mary shook her head. "He was telling me the truth."

"He has not completely changed, Mary." Tess continued. "But today he was given a chance to begin the slow process of turning that hate he has been harboring into love and he took that chance. That is the first step, Mary. It is not going to be easy, but he can do it... if you help him, that is."

Mary nodded as tears welled up in her eyes. "Of course I will, Tess. I love my family more than anything. It would mean so much to me if he would not get so angry like this anymore."

"That is wonderful, Mary." Tess told the woman, then paused and glanced over at the sleeping Loyalist. "But there is something else you should know... about Thomas Goodson."

Mary looked at the angel curiously. "What is that?"

"Thomas was one of the men that tore up your husband's store yesterday." Tess told the woman quietly. "He was not the one that killed Samuel, but he was one of the Loyalists there."

Mary gasped her hand flying to her chest. "Does John know this?"

Tess smiled and nodded. "Yes, he does. And Mary, he brought him home anyway."

* * *

Downstairs, John and Andrew were sitting quietly in the parlor. All the children were outside so the house was nearly silent. No one had said much since they had been down there, but now John spoke up.

"Andrew, I still cannot believe I have a Loyalist upstairs in bed at my house. And to think, he is one of the very ones that brought chaos into my store yesterday!"

Andrew shrugged. "You did the right thing. Thomas Goodson really needed some help back there and you gave that to him."

John nodded. "Yes, I suppose you're right. You know, I told my wife about... well, about you."

Andrew just smiled and let the man continue.

"I do not think that she believed me." John went on quietly. "She must think I have completely lost my mind."

"I don't think so." The angel replied, nodding his head towards the parlor doorway.

John looked in the direction Andrew gestured and standing there was Tess and next to her stood Mary, with a smile on her face. The woman's eyes looked rimmed with tears, yet she looked happy. She gave Tess a final glance, and then walked over to where her husband sat.

Seeing this, Tess smiled and motioned for Andrew to get up and follow her out of the parlor. He did so gladly. Things were starting to look much better and he felt a new flicker of hope inside him for this family.

"John, I want to apologize to you." Mary told her husband softly, as the angels left the room. "I did not believe you when you said that Andrew was... well, an angel. But I had a talk with Tess and, needless to say, I have changed my mind."

"You have?" John asked, obviously relieved.

She nodded. "Yes, and I want you to know that I am so proud of you for stepping up and bringing Thomas home when he needed you; even if he is one of the Loyalists that came into your store yesterday."

John stood up and looked at her curiously. "Mary, how did you know about that?"

"Tess told me." She said. "And she said that you asked God to give you an opportunity to begin to change your ways. John, I cannot express how much that means to me. And how much good it will do our family. I am so glad you chose to bring that young man home."

"It wasn't easy." He said honestly. "I wanted so badly to leave him there, Mary. Especially after I recognized him, after I_ knew _who he was. At that moment, I was so angry and for a few split seconds, I had the mind to finish him off myself. I almost did too. If it wasn't for Andrew, if it wasn't for God's grace, I probably would have killed that young man. Right then and there."

"I know." Mary replied softly, she looked intently into his eyes. "But you didn't. That is the important thing. You overcame yourself and now a man who had no chance to live is upstairs in your house with the chance to live a long life. You're a strong man, John. When you believe in something, you fight to make it happen no matter how hard it may be. Now I know that you believe in what God wants for you and what he wants for our family. And I know that no matter how hard it may be for you, with His help, you'll overcome anything in your way, for His plan."

"Yes, but will you help me as well?" John asked softly, taking her hands in his. "Will you help me to overcome hate with good, Mary, and to teach our children the very same thing?"

She nodded. "Yes, I will. You know I will, John. I love you so much."

Looking her in the eye, he lifted her hands and kissed her knuckles. "I love you too."


	31. Chapter 31

_Not much to say this time around, except to thank my reviewers. Yva J, Garjzlavarden, Jenni-OnThisSide, and Zarz; you're all awesome! Thanks for the encouragement!_

_I also wanted to give an extra shout-out to _**_Jenni-OnThisSide_**_ – Congratulations on being the one to leaving the 100__th__ review! You have earned your very own flannel shirt! Directly from Andrew's closet! Just do me a favor and don't tell him how you got it! ;-)_

_Okay, enough of that. Moving on to chapter 31. __Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-One**

A few hours later, after supper had been eaten and the sun had gone down, Andrew wandered slowly outside carrying a lantern to light his way through the dark. There was almost complete silence, except for the crickets chirping in the tall grass and another strange sound that he had a difficult time deciphering exactly what it was.

It sounded like it was coming from behind the barn, Andrew decided, so he began to slowly make his way over around the large building. As he drew closer, the sounds grew louder and it was then that he could finally make out that the sounds he was hearing was someone crying.

Eventually he came close enough that he could see by the light of the lantern that a figure sat hunched up against the side of the barn. It only took him a moment or two after that to realize that it was Elizabeth and that it was she who was crying.

"Elizabeth," Andrew began, lowering the lantern a bit so the light would not shine directly into her eyes. "Elizabeth, are you alright?"

She looked at him with a tear stained face. "No, I'm not. How do I look to you?" She asked sarcastically.

"You look as though you are in a great deal of pain." Andrew said quietly, though honestly. He looked at her sincerely, his green eyes gentle. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

She shrugged. "I guess not."

Andrew slowly let himself slide down to the ground beside her and sat the lantern down carefully on the ground, casting a dim glow across the side of the barn. He was quiet for a few moments, then looked at her and spoke softly.

"Are you thinking about Micah?" He asked.

She nodded silently.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked gently.

She sighed sadly and bit her bottom lip. "Andrew, I still can scarcely believe what happened yesterday." She said softly. "For a few moments, my life could not be better and only a few minutes later it was torn apart. I don't understand it. I am trying to, but I can't. Why would God let this happen?"

"I don't know, Elizabeth." He replied, looking out into the dark night. "I sometimes wonder that and I have been asking myself these same questions. But I do know that God has everything under control. Whatever happens, Elizabeth, He can turn it around into something good."

Elizabeth looked over at him with tear filled eyes. "What good could possibly come from this, Andrew? What good? And do you know what of the worst things about this is?" She asked him.

He shook his head. "No, what?"

"That this whole thing is probably my fault." She whispered. "If only I had listened to my Father and had not gotten to know Samuel. Well then maybe he wouldn't be dead now."

"Elizabeth, none of this is your fault." Andrew told her surely. "You know, yesterday I blamed myself for what happened to Samuel. I did exactly what you are doing now. I told myself I had failed and that everything was my fault."

"But that is ridiculous, Andrew." Elizabeth looked over at him. "How could you have possibly had anything at all to do with this?"

"I kept trying to persuade you to let me speak with your father about Samuel. And you finally let me, so I did." Andrew explained his reasoning. "If I hadn't been so persistent, then Samuel would not have even been there."

She shook her head. "Andrew, please do not feel that this is your fault. It is not at all. You were just trying to help, you did nothing wrong."

Andrew smiled weakly and nodded. "I know that now. But last night... last night I was absolutely positive that it was my fault, until some very special friends pointed things out differently to me. Now I see that they are right and Elizabeth, you need to see this too." He said to her. "What happened was not any of our faults. We had no way of knowing it was going to happen. If blame must be lain, then it should be on the man who killed Samuel. He made a choice and he did it. It was not me, and it was not you."

She shook her head, a tear slipping down one of her cheeks. "But Samuel..."

"Samuel made a choice too, Elizabeth." Andrew told her. He took one of her hands in his own and gave it a squeeze. "He had a choice and he chose to risk his life to save Micah. That was such a noble thing to do; not many would do that for someone. He loved you very much."

She nodded, as a few more tears quickly escaped her eyes. "I loved him too." She managed to say quietly, trying to hold back the sobs her body was dying to let out. She looked at Andrew. "Do you realize that the man upstairs that you and my father brought home was in the store yesterday?"

Andrew nodded. "I do. But Elizabeth, Thomas was not the man that killed Samuel."

She shook her head and sighed. "I know that. But it still upsets me to know that he was part of all of that yesterday... and that he is now being cared for by my parents."

"Yes." Andrew nodded. "I can understand that and no one expects you to feel friendly toward him. But consider the fact that your father brought him home, Elizabeth. It wasn't me who decided to help him. It was your father."

"Why would he do that?" She whispered.

Andrew smiled weakly. "I believe that God spoke to your father's heart and your father listened. He wants to change his ways and this is his way of beginning that change. You should be proud of him."

She nodded. "I am, I suppose. But I just can't believe that Samuel..." She let her voice trail off, unable to complete her sentence.

Andrew looked at Elizabeth carefully. "Do you remember what Samuel said to you... just before he died?" He asked her gently. "Elizabeth, he said he wanted you to be happy. He knew he was dying and he wanted to make sure that you would go on to lead a joyous and fulfilling life. You promised him that you would." He added softly.

"I don't know if I can do that." She sniffled. "I am not sure that I will ever be happy again."

"I know it does not seem that you will be, Elizabeth, but you will. It won't be right away, it is going to to take some time. I cannot say that I have had much experience with the grieving process before," Andrew went on. "But I do know, that given time, you will learn to smile again, Elizabeth. And I know that Micah will stay by your side the entire time."

She looked up at him, uncertainty evident on her face. "Micah? Why would he ever even consider me now? After what happened yesterday?"

"Because he loves you." A voice said quietly.

Andrew and Elizabeth both turned their heads in the direction of the voice and Micah then stepped into the light of the lantern. He paused a moment then came to stand in front of where the two of them were sitting.

"I love you, Elizabeth." He told her solemnly. "And when your father told me that he was giving you permission to see Samuel, I did feel very angry... because I love you so much, I did not want to let you go. Yet with that same love, I knew that I could not hold onto you; not if you didn't want me to.

"Samuel died saving me, Elizabeth." Micah continued, though his voice softer. "It was an act of kindness and of love that I will never forget as long as I live. I now have begun to wish I could have known him longer and better than I did, because I know that I could have learned so much from him. But, you know, even though he is gone now, he taught me an important lesson."

"What?" Elizabeth asked softly.

"He taught me about true love." Micah stated. "If you truly love someone, then you will do anything for them. You will hold onto them as long as you can, but if they want to go, you let them; know matter how hard it is to do. And despite differences in allegiance, love is a kind of loyalty that that will make you stronger. I know this, Elizabeth, because ever since yesterday afternoon, I have been by myself, sitting alone, thinking and praying. And I finally came to a few conclusions."

"And what would those be?" Andrew asked the young man softly.

"One would be that I want to be more like Samuel Carroll." Micah explained quietly, yet surely. "He stood so strong for what he believed in, yet he refused to let himself become hateful against those he did not agree with. I want to do that now. I want to be more loving and accepting of other people. And the second conclusion I came to is that I want to do it with you, Elizabeth. I know you're hurting and that you're grieving the loss of Samuel right now. And while I would like it to someday, even if our relationship goes no further than friendship, I want you to know that I am going to stand by you the entire way. But I suppose what I want to know is, will you let me?" He asked her, reaching out his hand to her.

She looked at him, then grasped his hand and allowed him to help her off the ground. Finally taking a deep breath, she looked at him in the eye. "Yes, Micah. I will. I am so sorry for the pain I caused you. I never wanted to hurt you."

He nodded. "I know that, Lizzie. But in time, we will both overcome this. I know we will. But I should apologize too. I should have seen it before, I should have caught on to your distance and the way you were feeling. I see it now and I understand a little better of what you were going through. But I was so caught up and blind to it before. Will you forgive me for not paying better attention?"

Tears in her eyes, she nodded. "Of course, I do. You may not believe it after all that has happened, but I love you, Micah. I do."

He smiled softly, then leaned forward and kissed her gently on the forehead. "I love you too, Elizabeth. I mean that."

Andrew was beginning to feel awkwardly out of place by this point, so he stood up and quietly excused himself. He smiled as he left Elizabeth and Micah alone. He was not yet sure what would happen with them in the future and he didn't know whether the two would ever marry or not. But he did have a good feeling that their relationship would grow stronger after this and that was all he could ask for.

He briefly considered going back into the house for a while, but then decided against it and instead began making his way to the barn loft. Whatever was left for him to say could certainly wait until the next day.


	32. Chapter 32

_Hi all,_

_Welcome to chapter 32 of this story. Beyond that, there is really not much for me to say today. I've had an emergency in my family within the last day or so. Because of that, I'm sorry, but this chapter isn't terribly long and there may be a few typos I missed._

_But I'd like to take a moment to thank those of you who continue to leave those great reviews that I keep getting. It's overwhelming and I appreciate every one._

_Also, thank you Yva J, for pointing out that little error in the last chapter. I appreciate it because it seems as the semester wears on, my brain is working less and less as it should be. ;-)_

_With all that now out of the way, I won't hold you up any longer. Enjoy this next chapter!_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

The next morning, the day of Samuel Carrol's funeral, came quickly and with it came beautiful sunny skies. When Andrew woke up, he got up, dressed, and left the barn. He entered the house through the kitchen, as he always did, that way he could have a chance to talk with Tess before the day began.

He entered the room with a smile on his handsome face. "Good morning, Tess." He greeted her warmly, noticing that she was the only one in the room.

She smiled back at him. "Are you ready for your last day here, Andrew?"

"Is this really my last day?" He asked, his voice suddenly softening.

"Mm-hum." She nodded. "You've done some great work, Angel Boy. Now it is time to wrap it up."

Andrew nodded.

"Have you seen Sarah this morning?" Tess questioned him.

"No, I haven't." He replied. "I normally meet up with her on my way up to the house in the morning, but she wasn't there just a few minutes ago."

Tess cocked her head. "Well, that is rather unusual. You just make sure you see that little girl and say good bye before we leave, Angel Boy. She's got a lot of heart for you and I have a feeling that once we're gone, you will be sorely missed."

"I will, Tess." Andrew nodded. "I'll go look for her soon."

There was some silence between the two angels for a moment, then Andrew spoke up again; this time his voice soft.

"Tess..."

The older angel turned and looked at him expectantly.

"What is it, baby?" She asked him gently, sensing something was on his mind.

"I am really glad that we got to help the Chandlers and I am happy that the assignment is completed," Andrew began slowly. He bit down on his lip and looked at her with sorrowful green eyes. "But I can't help but feel kind of sad too, you know?"

She nodded. "I understand that. You've spent a great deal of time with this family, you have gotten to know them. It's wonderful to make friends, Andrew. But it's not always easy to say goodbye though, is it?"

He shook his head. "No, it's not. I wish I didn't have to."

"I know you do, but that's also another part of case working, Andrew." She told him lovingly. "You meet so many different people and get to know them. I'm sure you'll come to find each one of them special in some way. The Chandlers are a bit different though, aren't they?" She said knowingly. "And young Sarah will always hold a special place in your heart, I'm sure."

Andrew nodded, glad to know that his supervisor could understand the way he was feeling."Will we see them again, Tess?"

She shrugged. "I don't know the answer to that question. We may." Then she just smiled softly, leaned over, and patted his hand. "Don't worry about it, baby. You've got many more assignments ahead of you."

Andrew nodded and then the kitchen door swung open. Mary came bustling through, her arms loaded with a pitcher, washrags, and plate and cup. It was obvious that the things had been taken from Thomas Goodson's bedroom. Both angels noticed that the woman looked tired, yet at the same time appeared happier and more at ease than she had in a long time.

"How is Thomas doing?" Andrew asked quietly, as he took the plate and cup from the woman.

She smiled gratefully at him for his help. "He is doing just fine, Andrew." Mary told him, setting the pitcher and washrag down. "He is quite bruised up after that beating he took yesterday, but he is awake now and appears to be on the mend. He'll be up and about before you know it."

"What will become of him after that?" Andrew questioned next.

"Well, John and I both talked a bit with Thomas earlier when he first woke up. John is still up discussing things with him now." She explained. "We learned that he is only about twenty years old. He only just came to Lattinburg a few months ago and he has no family here. He came from Boston after his family all died from disease. He was the only member of his family to survive it, so he came here to start over."

"It seems he's had a rough time." Tess spoke up now.

Mary nodded. "He has, Tess, he has. And he really needs some help. But do you know what is so wonderful about that?"

Tess and Andrew just smiled and waited for her to continue.

"It is wonderful because John wants to help him." The woman told them, clearly overjoyed at the attitude her husband was choosing to have. "It is not easy for John, especially being that Thomas was one of the young men in his store the other day. But he is trying so hard to change and he really does want to. He does."

"That is wonderful, Mary." Tess told the woman warmly. "You're seeing a lot of change happening in your family, but it is a good kind of change. You're family is heading down a beautiful road."

Mary nodded. "Thank you for all you've done, both of you." Her smile faded sadly at this point. "So I guess that means you will be leaving soon, doesn't it?"

"Yes, we will be leaving later this morning." Tess answered honestly. "But you will be alright, Mary. Your family is so much stronger now. You don't need us anymore."

At that moment, John walked into the kitchen, a smile on his face. "Good morning." He greeted the angels.

"How did it go?" Mary looked up at her husband, and asked softly.

John smiled and nodded his head. "It went well. Did you tell them?" He nodded his head toward Tess and Andrew.

Mary shook her head. "No, I didn't. I thought I'd let you tell them, John. I wanted you to."

"Tell us what?" Andrew spoke up finally.

"Thomas, the young Loyalist upstairs, has no family here in the colonies." John began to explain. "He has nothing to his name at all hardly. But I have been talking with him and he is an extremely bright young man. He has a good head on his shoulders."

"Even though he is a Loyalist?" Andrew was still slightly surprised by the storekeeper's change in attitude.

John nodded. "He is a Loyalist. But I am coming to realize that there is more for me to look at in a person beside where he places his loyalty. Mine in here within the colonies, his is with king. But I want to look past that."

"That is a great thing, sir." Andrew told him. "You're really changing, you know that?"

John just smiled and continued. "Anyway, this young man is very smart. He knows so much and he has an overwhelming amount of potential. So I discussed it firstly with my wife, and she agreed. Then I discussed some options with Thomas." He paused briefly. "He has agreed to become my new apprentice in my store."

Andrew's eyes widened. "Really? Oh, that is wonderful!"

Tess nodded. "It really is. I am sure the young man will make a fine apprentice to you. And you'll need the help, especially since Andrew will no longer be there."

John shook his head a bit sadly. "So that's it? You're really leaving, aren't you?"

Tess nodded. "We have to. The Father has new plans for us. Besides, it appears you have things going in the right direction now."

"When do you leave?" The man asked next.

"Very soon." Tess said. "After Samuel's funeral service."

John nodded. "How can I possibly thank you?"

Tess shook her head."Don't thank us, thank the Father. He's the one that sent us, He deserves the praise. He always does." She smiled. "John, taking in that young man may have seemed like a simple act of kindness, but in doing so, you did much more than just that."

"You saved his life." Andrew spoke up quietly, yet truthfully. "But do you know what?"

John shook his head.

"What?" Mary questioned.

"When you saved Thomas' life, you saved your own life as well." Andrew stated. "And let me tell you, both were very much worth saving. God is very proud of you, John."

"He is?" The man asked, sounding much quieter than his normal self.

Tess nodded. "Yes, He is, baby. And He loves all of his children so very much. Don't ever forget that."

John nodded, gently pulled his wife closer to his side, and looked through tearful eyes at the angels standing before him. "I won't."

* * *

A little while later, Andrew was outside alone. Tess had told him that they would be leaving soon for the funeral and he still had to talk with Sarah.

They had gotten done with breakfast only a few minutes before and while there, John had informed his children that Andrew's Father had requested he take on a new job and that he would be coming along with them to the funeral, and then be on his way. He told them that Thomas would be taking over and the children had been disappointed to hear that Andrew would be leaving.

All except for Sarah, simply because she had not been there for breakfast. Mary and John, though they both found it odd, didn't seem too worried about her absence. But Andrew was. It just did not seem like the girl to miss a meal and not be seen all morning long. Especially by him; she always made a point to see Andrew in the morning.

He stood quietly in the middle of the path in front of the house. As the cool breeze blew and lifted his hair off his shoulders a bit, he closed his eyes and listened to the sounds around him. The birds were all busy chirping to another and and horses could be heard from many different directions. He opened his eyes, glanced up at the sky, and sighed happily. It was a beautiful day and he welcomed it readily.

The angel glanced around briefly, but there was no sign of Sarah anywhere. He tried to recall the last time he had actually seen her. He had seen her briefly at supper the evening before, but now that Andrew thought of it, she had seemed unusually quiet at that point. She had barely glanced up from her plate, and never once at Andrew. That's when it occurred to him that the last time he had even really spoken to her was the morning before, on his way in from the barn. As he began to think back and notice these small things, the angel was becoming uncomfortably aware that for some reason beyond his knowledge, the girl had been obviously avoiding him all day yesterday. And now even more so this morning. This left a confused and dispirited feeling with him and not knowing what else to do, he lifted his eyes towards the sky.

"Father," He said quietly. Then he dropped his eyes and closed them softly. "I have this terrible feeling that Sarah's avoiding me and... and I don't know why. Tess says that we are leaving after the funeral, so I really want to talk with Sarah before I go. I do not know where she is, or even where to begin looking for her. But I know that You know... so will You please help me find her? Please?"

With that said, Andrew let out a small sigh and opened his eyes. He glanced around outside once again and called out her name, yet got no reply. So shaking his head, the angel slowly began to make his way towards the barn in hopes of finding her inside somewhere.


	33. Chapter 33

_Hi all,_

_Wow, it's been almost 2 weeks now since I updated. Sorry I left all of you hanging for so long, but I have hardly had time to sit down and write. But I'm hopeful that the rest of this story will finish up on schedule. _

_Also, thanks for the well wishes everyone. I really appreciate it! _

_And also for all of the reviews. I've said it before, but... you guys rock. You really do. ;-)_

_Anyway, enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Andrew walked slowly into the barn and called out his young friend's name once again, but there was still no answer.

"Sarah, are you in here?" He tried again. He sighed. "I'm leaving soon, Sarah and I'd really like to talk to you... before I go."

Discouraged by the silence, he turned around to leave the building. But just as he was passing through the large barn door, he heard a rustling sound that caused him to stop and turn back around once more. He listened carefully, then after a moment, he heard it once again.

His curiosity now aroused, he began to follow the noise and find out where it was coming from. He had to listen hard, but he eventually figured that it was coming from the loft; the side full of hay, opposite of his temporary quarters.

He made his way over to the ladder that led up to the loft and quietly began climbing it, rung by rung. When he got high enough, he peeked his head up over the top and was shocked to discover Sarah sitting in alone in a pile of hay. Her face was flushed and it looked as if she had been crying.

"Sarah," Andrew said softly. "Are you alright?"

She looked up at him and shook her head. "No, just go away."

His eyes widened with surprise. "'Go away'? Sarah, what is the matter?"

"You should know." She tried to glare at him, but ended up dropping her eyes when they met his genuinely concerned ones.

He shook his head. "I honestly have no idea. Sarah, did I do something wrong?"

She didn't respond to his question and he sighed quietly.

"Did I hurt you feelings?" Andrew asked, his voice soft.

She paused, then nodded as her eyes filled with tears.

The angel didn't know what he could have done, but he felt his heart breaking at the sight before him. He didn't know what to do, so slowly started climbing up into the loft.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" He pointed to a spot in the hay beside her.

She shrugged and he decided to take that as a 'no' and let himself sink into the soft pile of hay. Both sat there silently for a moment, then Andrew looked over at her.

"You know, I am not sure what I did to cause you to come up here and cry... all alone." He said softly, his green eyes gentle and full of sincerity. "But unless you tell me what is bothering you, I cannot even begin to try and correct things."

She glanced up at him briefly, then dropped her eyes once more and wrapped her arms around her knees and heavy skirts. She didn't say anything. She just continued to sit there, a mixture between sorrow and frustration written across her youthful face.

"Sarah, please talk to me." Andrew pleaded with her. "You trusted me before, remember? Just a few days ago? Trust me now... please. I hate to see you like this, I want to help you."

The girl wiped her hand across her face, then finally turned and looked at him. "Were you ever going to tell me?" She asked hoarsely.

"Tell you what?" He asked her.

"Who you are? _What_ you are?" When he didn't respond she sighed. "You.. you're an angel. Right?"

Andrew's mouth dropped open, but he quickly shut it. "Y-yes." He stammered. "Yes, Sarah, I am. But how... how did...?"

"How did I know?" She asked weakly.

He nodded, still too shocked to say much at all.

She sniffed and wiped her face once again. "I saw you." She confessed, picking at a piece of straw that pricked her dress. "When I came into the store yesterday to pick up Mother's things, I saw you through the window talking to my father. You had this wonderful glow all around you." She whispered, as if she was afraid to speak of it too loudly. She closed her eyes softly as she remembered. "It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen before. You looked... you looked beautiful; and so full of peace. I cannot even begin to describe it." She opened her eyes again and looked over at him. "I have not gone mad, have I, Andrew? I really saw this, didn't I?"

Andrew smiled weakly. "No, you're not mad, Sarah. What you say is true. I am an angel, and yes, I was speaking to your father. But I never knew that you saw us."

"So... you are a real angel?" She questioned him, as if she was still afraid to believe it. "Like... from Heaven?"

He nodded. "Yes. God sent me here for your family."

She sat there for another moment after that. No words emerged from her mouth and she looked as if she was trying to digest what she had just been told. Finally she looked back at him, her face still depicting a trace of pain.

"You were just going to keep it a secret from me?" She whispered. "You were never going to tell me?"

"I... I don't know, Sarah." The angel answered truthfully. "To be honest with you, I never really thought about it. I suppose I should have, you have been very honest with me from the beginning. That is such a rare thing, people are usually so wary of strangers."

"Why didn't you tell me?" The girl asked.

Andrew thought for a moment. "Quite frankly, I did not know who to tell. You see, Sarah, I have always been an angel. But we angels have different jobs that God assigns us to. This is the first time I've ever had a job where I spend a lot of time with humans and, well... where I may tell somebody about who I really am. It's not always simple and even at this point, it is only your parents that know who I am."

"Does Elizabeth even know?" She wanted to know.

He shook his head. "No. At least, I do not think she does. I did see she and Micah though last evening."

"You did?"

"Mm-hum, and she is still very upset about what happened to Samuel. Which is reasonable, of course." He added. "And I think you should know that despite everything that has happened within the last few days, Micah and your sister are still going to remain on good terms."

"But I thought Micah would have been so angry... and so hurt." Sarah spoke the thoughts in her mind. "Is he and Elizabeth going to get married?"

Andrew shrugged. "I don't know that answer to that question, I'm afraid."

"But... but you're an angel. Don't you know?" She looked intently at him.

He smiled softly. "Angels do not know everything, Sarah, we cannot predict the future. I cannot even tell you what you will have for supper tonight. But I can tell you that through these latest events, Micah and your father have both learned a lot. And even if Micah never marries your sister, he will always stand by her and do whatever he can for her as a true friend should."

She nodded. "I'm glad for that. I do like Micah, Andrew. I would hate to think that we would never see him around here anymore."

"I have a feeling you will still continue to see quite a bit of him, so I would not worry about that. These last few days have taught that young man a lot." Andrew smiled at his young friend. "But you know, your father has learned a lot too, and just like Micah, he is already beginning to apply it to his life."

Sarah reached up her hand and scratched briefly behind her ear. "What do you mean?"

"Your father is trying to change his attitude; you know, that prejudice he has had against Loyalists for as long as you can remember?" When she nodded, he continued. "When Samuel died the other day, he died not only by trying to protect one man's, your father, store. But he also died saving another man's life. Both of those men being downright Patriots who obviously despised Samuel; simply because they did not agree with him.

"It took him a little while," Andrew continued. "But it eventually made an impression on your father. You know that young man that your father saved and brought home last evening?"

"Yes." She confirmed. "Isn't his name... Thomas?"

Andrew nodded. "That's it. Did you know that Thomas is a Loyalist? One of the ones in the store the other day?"

Sarah's eyes widened. "Is he really?"

Andrew nodded. "Yes. Your father wants to do the right thing, Sarah. It's not going to be easy for him, as he has had this prejudice in his heart for so long. But in time, and with God's help, he'll learn to change his heart."

The girl smiled at this. "I'm so glad to hear that. I've always hated the conflict between the people of these colonies and I've hated what it did to my father. You know..." She glanced down and paused for a moment. Then she looked back up at him shyly. "I've been praying that God would help our family. I had been asking for the longest time." She admitted. "And then just when I was beginning to think He wasn't listening... He sent you to us, Andrew."

The angel smiled fondly at her. "That's right, He did. But, Sarah, God always hears you. Sometimes it may not seem like it, but He does. He's always listening and He'll always be right there beside you, no matter what. He may not always send an angel, but He'll never let you down. He loves you too much to do that." He laid his hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eye. "Remember that for me, alright?"

She nodded. "I will, Andrew. I'll never forget it, I promise. I, I'm sorry for telling you to go away." She then added softly.

He shook his head. "Don't be. I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have said something to you. After all, you have been so honest with me from the very beginning. Will you forgive me?" He asked her sincerely. "Believe me, I never wanted to hurt you."

She nodded. "I know you didn't and I do forgive you, Andrew." She told him.

Hearing this, he smiled and looked at her. "Sarah, I came in here because I wanted to tell you how much you mean to me. You have become such a special friend and I'm so glad that I have gotten the chance to know you."

"You are?" She whispered, somewhat in awe.

He nodded."I am. And you may not realize it, but you helped me through a lot while I've been here and made a lasting impact on me." He reached his hand out and lifted her chin up, so he could see her face better. "I will never forget you, Sarah Chandler. That I can promise you."

The girl's eyes then filled with tears. "I won't ever forget you either, Andrew. Not ever." She sighed and then glanced down sadly. "So, I guess this means you will be leaving soon, doesn't it?"

The angel nodded slowly. "Yes, I will be going to Samuel's funeral, but I will be leaving after that. Tess too." He added softly.

She looked up at him suddenly. "Tess? She is an angel, as well?"

Andrew nodded.

"That doesn't really surprise me so much, I guess." The girl admitted honestly. "I always thought there was something different... something special about her... I'll miss you both once you are gone."

"I'll miss you too." The angel replied quietly.

As the words ended, he held out his arms and Sarah leaned over and embraced him, resting her head on his shoulder. And together they sat, in silent friendship, until they were called to leave for the funeral.


	34. Chapter 34

_Welcome to the next chapter, everyone. I don't really think I have a whole lot to say this time around, except thanks for the reviews. The feedback I've been getting from your reviews has been incredible. You're awesome. ;-)_

_Also, there will be two more chapters after this one. Then this particular tale will be completed. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Half an hour later, a small group of people stood clustered together at a small church cemetery. Despite the occasion, the day continued to look cheerful. As the minister read from his Bible, his voice filled the still air strongly and surely.

Those that made up the crowd of mourners stood quietly, though tears were evident in many of their eyes. Mary Chandler stood quietly beside her husband, who wore a solemn look of respect on his face. Their youngest children, including Sarah, stood in front of them and listened quietly to the words that were being read. Elizabeth stood off to the side a bit from her family and Micah was beside her, his arm wrapped protectively over her shoulder. There were tears in her eyes as she stood there and she was undoubtedly recalling her last moments with Samuel.

There were other people at the service as well; family and other friends of the young man. Even Thomas Goodson stood there. He had started to feel well enough, so the Chandlers had asked him to come along and he had quietly agreed. No one else there knew what his connection was to Samuel and those that did know had decided not to share. The young loyalist wore a reflective and contemplative expression on his face, as he too replayed the events of only a few days before.

And finally, off towards the back of the crowd stood Andrew. He stood quietly and alone at this point. He was trying to concentrate on what the minister was saying, but again and again he would find his mind drifting to other things. He thought about the previous few days. So much had happened in only a short amount of time. He had been promoted and been given his first assignment as a caseworker and during that time he had learned so much.

He also thought about Samuel and what a special heart he had. The angel found many admirable qualities in the young man and at that point decided that many, many people could learn something from him.

Then noticing the silence that had suddenly engulfed the air, Andrew looked up expectantly. The minister had finished speaking and now John was making his way to the front of the crowd. When he got there, he said something softly to the minister. The minister nodded, then the John cleared his throat and turned to face the group.

"I believe that most of you know who I am." The shopkeeper began. "My name is John Chandler, I run a store in town."

When he got some nods of recognition, he continued.

"I never really knew Samuel." He said. "I know that my daughter had gotten to know him well, but I never did. As a matter of fact, I think I have probably learned more about him in his death than during his life. But I have also learned things _from_ him. In his death, Samuel taught me a great deal and if you will all allow me, I believe that of he were here now, he would like me to share it with you.

"Samuel was a strong believer in the king, he was a Loyalist." The shopkeeper continued. "I am sure that many of you know that already. But while he supported the British Empire, he did not let his ideas control his life. He could make friends with someone, even if they did not share his beliefs and he would also help someone in the same way. He showed that to me two days ago. I am a Patriot, and I have to admit, I treated this young man less than kind and he did not deserve the attitude and treatment I gave him. But when the time came that my store, my daughter, and even myself were being threatened by those that share the same beliefs that he did, he took action and defended us. He stood up for what he believed in, yet at crucial points he chose to stand up for something that he believed in even more... and that is love."

At this, John took a deep breath, then looked back out surely at the crowd. "Samuel died for what he believed in and I will not let his death be in vain. I hope that none of you will either, no matter what your beliefs are. Samuel Carroll is a hero. Let us not ever forget that."

When John finished his small speech, everyone nodded in agreement and many more emotions were being shown. But it was clear that the message that the shopkeeper shared had touched each person's heart.

Andrew felt his own eyes stinging from unshed tears. At the moment that John called Samuel a "hero", the angel had felt the hair on his neck raise and he shivered involuntarily. It was true. Samuel was a hero and the fact that John had actually admitted that still surprised Andrew a bit. The man was truly beginning to change and the process was a remarkable thing.

Suddenly he was aware of someone beside him. He turned his head to find Tess standing there, a small smile on her face. "I believe that man has finally seen the light, Angel Boy." Tess observed.

Andrew glanced over at John, who had gone back to stand with his family. He then nodded. "Yes, Tess. I think you're right."

Tess noticed the contemplative look on the other angel's face, and she rested her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, baby?"

He nodded. "Yes. I guess I've just been doing a lot of thinking. Isn't it amazing, Tess, how one man's death can impact so many people? It impacted John and Micah and now the two of them are out impacting others. It just... keeps going on."

Tess smiled. "God turned something bad into something truly miraculous, Andrew. He specializes in that, you know."

Andrew just chuckled and then the two grew silent to watch the rest of the service.

* * *

A little while later, the service had come to an end. Though dispersed a bit more, people still stood about, many speaking to each other in quiet tones of voice. Andrew and Tess stood and watched them for a few moments, and then they noticed a familiar figure making his way through the crowd towards them. It was Adam.

When the Angel of Death reached them, he took his hat off his head and stood on the other side of Andrew. He glanced over at them with a smile.

"That was a wonderful service, wasn't it?" He commented.

"Have you been here the whole time, Adam?" Tess asked him curiously.

He nodded. "Yes, I was standing over in the distance, just under that tree over there." He pointed towards a large, shady tree a few yards away. Then he looked at Andrew. "So, you finished your first assignment, Andrew. It looks like you did a wonderful job."

Andrew just smiled. "Well, um, I did have a lot of help."

Adam shrugged. "Nothing wrong about that. Everyone could use some help sometimes. What's bad is when you could use a bit of it, and it doesn't seem to be there. But fortunately for you, you shouldn't be experiencing that problem on your next case. That's what I'm here for."

"You're staying?" Andrew asked with surprise.

"Mm-hum." The Angel of Death nodded, as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his long coat. "The Father has given me permission to work with you and Tess for a while. I'll get a chance to go back and do some of the old caseworking stuff again, spend time with the two of you. Also, the Father seems to think I may be able to help teach Andrew a few tricks of the trade. Whatever that means." He shrugged innocently.

Tess snorted and shook her head. "I know what that means. It means I'm going to have to keep a better eye on both of you boys, or you are going to go off teaching Andrew here on the very best ways to get into mischief and irritate the supervisor."

Adam feigned a hurt expression at this point. "Why Tess, how could you even think such a thing? What mischief could I possibly get him or anyone else into?"

"I'm sure you could manage to think up a thing or two." Tess started to reply.

She let her sentence drop though because she suddenly noticed Sarah making her way towards them. When the girl reached them, she smiled a bit sadly.

"So I guess you are leaving now." Sarah observed quietly.

Tess nodded. "Yes baby, we are. As a matter of fact, I was just about to tell these two that." She nodded her head toward Andrew and Adam.

The girl shifted her view and gazed up at the Angel of Death in front of her.

"You're the man who was up in the loft with Andrew a few nights ago... Adam." She recalled his name. "You are an angel too, aren't you?"

"Yes Sarah, I am." He smiled and nodded. He decided though to not go into detail about the specifics of his job. Some things, he knew, were better left unsaid.

She sighed. "I wish you didn't have to leave." She told them truthfully

"I know you do. I kind of wish I didn't have to go too." Andrew replied softly. "I like it here and Sarah, you are a wonderful friend. No one likes to leave their friends behind."

"Where will you go?" She asked them.

Unsure of what to say, Andrew and Adam both looked over at Tess to supply the answer.

Tess smiled. "Wherever the Father sends us. He knows where we're needed."

"To help another family maybe?" The girl guessed.

"Perhaps." Adam shrugged.

"Whoever you help, they are very fortunate to have you." She said softly. Then she looked at each one of them. "You won't forget me, will you?"

Very quickly, Andrew shook his head. "No. Of course not, Sarah. We could never forget you. Especially me." He added gently.

"You are a very special young lady." Adam told her sincerely. "You have so much love and understanding to give. I have only known you for a little bit, but I can see it in you already. God has given you a wonderful, loving spirit, Sarah; and I know that you are going to use it to do great things in your life."

"Remember that for us, baby. Alright?" Tess told her softly. "That and 'God loves you'. Both of those are things you should never forget."

She nodded. "I won't. I promise."

Glancing up at the sky, Adam then sighed sadly. "I believe it's time for us to go now." He told Tess.

This did not escape the ears of neither Andrew or Sarah and when the girl heard this, she looked at Andrew sadly.

"I have to go now, Sarah." Andrew repeated gently. He held out his arms to her and smiled weakly. "Do you think that I may be able to get a hug before I go?"

She nodded and quickly walked into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"I love you, Andrew." She whispered, so only he could hear it.

"I love you too, Sarah." He whispered back at her, his heart overwhelmed with the love he felt come from her.

When she pulled back from his embrace, she looked up at him hopefully.

"Will I see you again?" She asked him weakly.

Andrew noticed tears in the corners of her sad eyes, and he gently wiped them away with his thumbs. "You will, Sarah. One day I will come back and see you again. I don't know when exactly, but I will come back someday."

"You promise?"

He nodded surely. "I promise."


	35. Chapter 35

_Well, welcome to the next chapter. There is only one left after this one, the epilogue._

_Thanks to Zarz, Yva J, and Jenni-OnThisSide for the reviews for the last chapter. I'm so glad you liked it, and yeah, I'm even kinda sad that it's about over. After working on this for 8 months, I won't know what to do with myself._

_So with that, enjoy chapter 35 and I'll see you Thursday (hopefully) for the last one._

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**Chapter Thirty-Five**

A few minutes later, Andrew and Adam were slowly walking through a field, away from the funeral scene. They were alone, for Tess had already gone on ahead and was waiting on them.

They had said good bye to Sarah and then had watched as she sadly made her way back to her waiting family. Knowing the angels would be leaving, John had waved good bye to them from across the way. The entire scene had had a melancholy feel about it and even as the two angels walked away from it, the feeling still hung heavily in the air.

Neither one said anything at first until Andrew glanced back behind him, then looked at Adam.

"Is it always this hard?" He asked softly.

"No, Andrew, I don't think it is." Adam replied, seeing the look of sadness his friend wore on his face. "The Chandlers are very special people and Sarah, I know, did make a significant impact on you. Every assignment is special in different ways. This one... this one was different, wasn't it?"

Andrew nodded. "Yes. I don't think I'll ever forget these last few days."

Adam smiled. "I doubt you will."

Andrew just nodded absentmindedly at this remark and some more silence followed. Finally, Andrew looked up curiously.

"Adam?" he asked.

The Angel of Death looked over at him expectantly. "Hmm?"

"You were a caseworker once, weren't you?"

Adam chuckled. "Yes, but that was many, many years ago. I imagine that you were only just getting your feet wet in Search and Rescue then."

"Was Tess your supervisor too?" He asked next.

"No... she wasn't." Adam shook his head. "Not at first, anyway. I had a different supervisor when I first started out. But I think I my have drove her a bit crazy after a while, so eventually Tess took over." He smiled at the memory.

Andrew's eyes widened at this revelation. "You supervisor sent you away?"

"No, I was only kidding about that part." Adam laughed. "But for some reason, after my first hundred years or so in the case working department, the Father assigned me to Tess instead. I don't know, maybe He thought I needed a firmer hand. I never tried to actually ask Tess before." He grinned mischievously.

Andrew chuckled, then his face grew serious once again. "Do you think I'll ever be assigned to someone else?"

"What would ever make you ask such a thing?"Adam asked with surprise.

"I don't know." The other angel shrugged hesitantly. "I guess... well, I kind of got myself into a lot of trouble during this case. Tess seemed pretty irritated with me at some points too and I was afraid that she may, well, get too fed up with me."

"Andrew, you listen to me. Tess is probably the most stubborn, persistent, and hard-nosed angel I have ever met." Adam told him firmly, yet with a twinkle in his gray eyes. "But she also has one of the most warming and loving hearts I've met too. I can telling you from past experience, she may seem angry with you at times and she may very well be. But that's only because her temper is not easily handled and it's just her way. But deep down under all that gruff exterior, she loves you a whole lot and that's why she gets after you; she wants you to be the best you can be. Trust me, buddy, I don't think she could ever get that fed up with you."

"Are you sure?" Andrew asked with relief.

"Definitely. Besides, she put up with all of my antics throughout the years. Just look at it this way; if Tess can't handle you, then my guess is that no one can. Why are you so worried about this?" He asked curiously. "Did Tess say something to you that made you think of all these questions?"

Andrew shook his head. "No, not really. I guess I just realized how glad I was that she was here with me during all of this and that even though she gets after me sometimes, I still want her around. I'd hate for her to to have me assigned to someone else or to just leave or something."

Adam laid his hand on his friend's shoulder. "I really don't think you have to worry about that, Andrew. Tess isn't going anywhere and neither are you. I'm afraid you're both stuck with each other for quite some time."

Andrew had to smile at this and did feel much better. Then he glanced up ahead and saw Tess waiting for them. She waved at them and they waved back. When they reached her she smiled at them.

"Are you two ready?" She asked.

They nodded and the three of them began to walk further through the field. It was not long before he recognized the field as the same one he and Tess had walked through just days before, on their way to Lattinburg.

"Tess, is this..." He began to ask, but let his voice trail off.

She smiled and nodded. "You better believe it, baby. This is it."

"What's 'it'? Am I missing something?" Confused, Adam looked at the other two. Then noticing the look of embarrassment on Andrew's face, he nodded. "Alright, I am missing something. What happened?"

"Oh no, Tess please don't tell him." Andrew spoke up, his voice filled with panic and dread. "I'd rather just forget about it."

The older angel shook her head. "Baby, no one in these colonies are going to be forgetting about that day anytime soon. As much as you may want to, I don't think you will be either."

Adam exhaled and rubbed his hand over his face. "Forget what? You two are really beginning to confuse me."

"Do you want to tell him, baby, or do you want me to?" Tess asked the blushing blonde angel beside her.

"Fine." Andrew sighed reluctantly. Then he looked at Adam, who was by now obviously slightly exasperated. "A few days ago... you know that battle that happened then? Somewhere around here?" He gestured to the field they stood in.

"Yes, I do." Adam said, a grave expression coming over his face. "I remember. I, um, I worked that day... quite a bit."

"Well, that day Tess and I were walking right by here, on our way to my assignment and I kind of got a bit mixed up with the colonial militia." He admitted weakly. "And I, um, I kind of accidentally shot the first shot that day."

Adam's eyes widened and he stopped in his tracks. "You shot the opening shot of this war?"

Andrew glanced down and nodded.

"Yes." He mumbled.

The Angel of Death couldn't help it. He began to laugh. "Oh, this is too good. You're going to have to just forget about letting this one slip, buddy. I have a feeling that half the celestial realm is talking about it now. April 19th, 1775 is a day that will go down in history in more than one way, I'm sure."

Andrew winced. "I didn't hit anybody."

"Well, that's a definite plus." Adam nodded and looked at Tess. "Tess, you definitely have your hands full with this one. I don't know why you were so worried about me teaching him anything or getting him into any 'trouble'. It appears that he is doing a fine job on his own. Definitely an angel after my own heart." He added with an impish grin.

Tess just groaned and shook her head. She glanced up. "Father, please give me patience. I don't know what I'm going to do with these two."

Adam chuckled and wrapped his arm over Tess' shoulders. "Oh, you love having us around, Tess and you know it."

She opened her mouth to say something, but the other angel shook his head. "No, you don't have to admit it. We already know, don't we Andrew?"

Andrew nodded. "Tess, we're just irreplaceable. What would you do without us?"

The supervising angel just chuckled. "It is obvious, Andrew, that you have already been learning quite a bit from Adam here. But what else have you learned during this assignment, baby?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment, then began to respond. "Well, for one thing, I learned all about running a store. I also learned that when your supervisor tells you to stay put, that you should do it or risk being made to march with a militia and carry a gun."

Tess smiled and nodded. "And..?"

"And I learned a lot about humans in general. They're very complex. I think I could do case working for a thousand years and still not understand everything about them." He shook his head, then reached up and absentmindedly adjusted the kerchief around his neck. "I, um, I also learned quite a bit about taverns and about brandies." He added with a mutter.

Adam glanced over at the two of them, knowing he was missing out on yet another story. "I take it I am going to have to wait to hear about this one?"

Andrew glanced down and Tess chuckled. "I think that's probably best for right now, Angel Boy. I think Andrew would prefer to save that tale of adventure for a little while."

Andrew just nodded silently in agreement.

"Those are all worthy lessons to have learned, Andrew." Tess then continued. "I'm very glad you did."

"Tess is right." Adam concurred. "You're off to a great start. You are going to make an incredible caseworker, I can tell."

The youngest angel smiled weakly, then looked curiously at his supervisor. "So what is our next case, Tess?" He asked her.

Adam smiled. "A great question. I was wondering that myself."

"We are going to Philadelphia." Tess replied, flicking off a small bug that had landed on her skirt. "There is a wonderful young Loyalist couple there that could use a little extra help. They just arrived here in the colonies a little over a year ago. They are expecting their first child to arrive fairly soon. Don't tell them this," The angel added with a sly smile. "But it is going to be twins."

Adam laughed. "My, they are going to need some help. Andrew, I do hope you like babies."

He nodded in confirmation. "This doesn't sound nearly as serious as my last case, Tess."

She shook her head. "Right now it isn't and though I hope it doesn't, things could change at any time. But as for right now, the Father just thought the Sullivan's could use a little encouragement. Who better to do that, than some angels?"

"I've had a lot of Search and Rescue cases in Philadelphia." Andrew said. "It will be nice to go back again. Pennsylvania is a beautiful place."

Adam nodded. "Tess, did I ever tell you that I met William Penn?"

Tess looked surprised. "Did you?"

The Angel of Death nodded. "Yes. As a matter of fact, I took him Home. It's been... nearly sixty years now, I think." He smiled at the memory. "He was a really wonderful man. I think you both would have liked him."

Then for the next few minutes, all was nearly silent as the three walked. The only sounds that could be heard was the grass beneath their feet and the sounds of small song birds as they flew overhead. Then Andrew spoke up, breaking the silence.

"Tess, do you know what else I learned during this case?" He asked softly, pushing a strand of hair away from his face.

"What's that, baby?"

"I learned that case working really is an amazing job. To be able to help the Father to change people's lives and bring them even closer to Him... it feels wonderful." He sighed with contentment. "I learned that God's timing is absolutely perfect and even though I made mistakes... a lot of them... He has me exactly where He wants me to be. And I'm inclined to stay there for a long time." He finished with a smile.

"That's wonderful, Andrew. Just wonderful." She responded warmly.

Tess held out her hands and from each side, both Adam and Andrew took one of hers into their own. Then they continued to walk through the field together, hand in hand, as a white dove flew over their heads and soared towards the Heavens.


	36. Chapter 36: Epilogue

_Welcome to the very last chapter of this story. To be honest, I almost didn't want to post it. It feels kinda weird and sad to finally have it ended. But before I do, I wanted to give one last thanks to all my dedicated readers:_

**_Yva J,_**_ you have been right here from the beginning. Thanks for sticking by and for all the great reviews. Also, thanks for catching all those typos I had! The encouragement was wonderful, you're awesome!_

**_Garjzlavarden, _**_you too have been here from day one, always leaving this story some great feedback. Thanks for every word. You totally rock!_

**_Jenni-OnThisSide, _**_you have also been here the while time. I've loved all of your comments and I'm glad you've enjoyed the story. You're swell!_

**_actingbug1..._**_ :sigh: what can I say about you? Your spontaneous reviews have done a number of things. You've made me laugh, you've made me cry, you've definitely made me blush. Mostly you've made me smile. Thanks for that!_

**_Zarz,_**_ all your comments have been so encouraging. I'm very glad you've jumped in and I'm happy that you have been enjoying it all. You're great!_

_So with that said, kudos and thanks to you all and I'll see you for my next project. __Enjoy!_

* * *

**Epilogue**

_Ten Years Later – Summer of 1785_

Twenty-three year old Sarah Chandler Proctor walked lazily down an empty dirt road, carrying a large covered basket in her hands, as she made her way home. She wore a smile on her face and she hummed happily. It was a beautiful summer day and the sun was now high in the sky, not covered by a single cloud. It was hot and sweat glistened on the young woman's forehead, but she didn't mind. She walked with her face tilted down towards the ground, to try and keep some of the sun out of her eyes that her straw hat did not block.

Her mind drifted to and from many different things. She thought about her last few hours in town and about the people she had visited with. She thought about her family and how happy everyone in it had been the last few years. Since their visit from the angels many years before, things had changed a lot in her life and she was sure that it was all for the better.

Finally she lifted her head once again to look further down the road. She noted that she was still a good ten minute walk from home and that though the sun was still high and bright, it had moved down a bit. It wouldn't be long until dusk.

As she glanced further down the road once again, she suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure leaning against a tree, just off the road, in the distance. She inhaled sharply and stopped in her tracks. Lifting her hand to block the sun from her face, she squinted her eyes to get a better look.

It couldn't be, could it? She almost didn't dare to hope, but the harder she gazed the more sure she was that she was right. Deciding to go ahead and chance it, she took a deep breath.

"Andrew?" She called out apprehensively. "Is that you?"

The figure stood up straight, nodded and called back out to her. "Sarah?"

Hearing the familiar voice, the woman dropped the basket she had been holding. She lifted her long skirts and took off running down the road towards him. As she got closer, she laughed with joy and did not even bother to stop when her hat flew off her head.

She finally reached him and ran into the angel's open and waiting arms. They embraced tightly, neither one saying anything at first. Finally, Andrew spoke up.

"My, you have grown since I last saw you." He whispered against her hair.

She laughed softly and pulled back so she could look up into his face. "You haven't changed at all. You look just as I remembered you."

"It seems to come with the territory." He smiled and shrugged. He glanced around, then reached down and took her hand. "Here, come sit over here with me."

He led her off the road and over to a fence that was running along beside it. She allowed him to lift her up and set her atop the rails of the fence and then she smiled happily at him.

"I always knew you would come back." She told him, feeling tears of joy in the corners of her eyes. "I just did not know when. So what are you doing back here?" She cocked her head.

He leaned easily up against the fence post. "I just finished up an assignment not too far from here and I thought I'd come back and see how one of my dearest friends has been doing in the last ten years. Twenty-three years old... you sure have grown up." He smiled wistfully at her. "How have you been?"

"Wonderful." She replied. "So much has changed since you and Tess were here when I was thirteen, but it has all been such good change. I got married about four years ago to a wonderful man. His name is Matthew and we have two children now."

The angel's eyes widened. "Do you really?"

She nodded. "Yes. Two girls, Olivia and Millie."

"And how about Elizabeth?" Andrew asked next. "How is she?"

"Lizzie is doing just fine, Andrew." Sarah told him. "She and Micah finally married about six years ago and they now have three children. Two boys and a girl. Do you know what they named their oldest son?" She asked him after a pause.

He shook his head, causing his long hair to brush against his shoulders. "What is his name?"

"Samuel." She stated softly. "Samuel Carroll Hambling."

Upon hearing the name, Andrew recalled seeing the young man who saved Micah's life ten years earlier. He felt tears sting his green eyes, but he blinked them away. After a moment, he found his voice again.

"I am so glad to hear that, Sarah." He told her gently. He smiled weakly. "I never forgot Samuel and I think he would have been honored to have Elizabeth's son named after him. How is the rest of your family?"

"They're doing well. Do you remember Thomas Goodson, the Loyalist that you and my father brought home?" She reminded him.

"Yes, I do." The angel confirmed. "Whatever became of him?"

"He lives next door to my parents." Sarah smiled. "He's like a part of our family now. He is married as well, to a young woman named Nancy and they have a few children of their own. Thomas and Micah help out my father in the store everyday. They are a great team, the three of them. I know my father is very thankful for their help.

"My mother is doing just grand." The happy young woman continued. "She actually had one more more baby about a year or two after you left. So I have a little brother, Michael, that you have never met before."

"And your other brothers and sisters?" Andrew asked curiously.

She nodded. "They are doing well too. James is twenty now. The war finally ended two years ago and James was away fighting during the last two years of it. I know that Benjamin wanted desperately to do his part for the states, but thankfully it ended before he was quite old enough. Both of them are so much like my father." She shook her head. "Miriam is fourteen now, just about my age last time you were here. If you think I have grown, you should see her. You probably wouldn't even recognize her."

Andrew chuckled. "You have all grown up. It's so good to see you again, Sarah." He added more softly.

She bit her lip and glanced down. "It's good to see you too, Andrew. I have really missed you, you know. The first few days after you left... they were really rough for me. It did not seem quite real, I kept expecting to see you every morning along the path to the barn. I even went out to the loft the next two mornings, even though deep inside I knew you wouldn't be there." She added with a weak smile.

He laid his hand on her shoulder. "The friendship that we share is special, Sarah." He told her, his green eyes gentle and sincere. "I'll never forget the night of Samuel's death when I blamed myself and you came to me in the loft. You were my very own angel that evening and that act alone touched me in a way that will stay with me forever."

She smiled. "You were not even at my house for more than a few days, but for some reason it felt like so much longer."

Andrew dropped his hand and then climbed up to sit beside her on the fence. He was quiet for a moment as he let his mind wander back a decade to those spring days he spent with the Chandler's. He took off his hat and ran his hand through his sweaty hair. Then, replacing the hat, he looked back at her.

"I want to give you something, Sarah." He stated, reaching into the small pocket of his waistcoat. He pulled out a small broach with the figure of an angel on it. He took her hand in his and gently laid the pin in it.

She picked it up and looked at it in awe. When she looked back up at Andrew, she had tears in her eyes. "It's beautiful, Andrew." She whispered, holding it to her chest. "Thank you so much, I love it."

He smiled. "I'm glad. I hoped you would."

She looked down to the front of her blouse and carefully pinned the gift to the garment.

"Now whenever I see this, I'll remember you. I could never forget you anyway," She added quickly. "But it's always nice to have something like this I can carry with me. I wish I had something to give you." She finished ruefully.

He shook his head. "No, that's alright. Don't worry about it. Getting the chance to see you again today was a gift enough for me. It is all I wanted. Besides, you didn't know I was coming." He added.

"Do you want to come home with me?" She asked him hopefully. "We're all having supper at my parents' house tonight and I know you would be welcome. I'm sure my father would love to see you too."

"I wish I could, but I'm afraid I can't." He sighed with regret. "I have another assignment to begin tonight. I told Tess I'd meet her there. It's pretty crucial too and I gave her my word that I would not be late."

Sarah's eyes lit up when she heard the older angel's name. "Tess? Are you still working with her?"

"Yes. She is still my supervisor, though in my defense, I don't think I need one nearly as terribly as I did last time I was here." He boasted playfully. "I'm sure she would beg to differ, but she's not here right now so I can boast all I want."

She grinned at her friend's antics, then a solemn look came over her face once again. "I'm sorry you cannot come have supper with us. I guess that means you will have to be on your way soon."

"Yes, I will."

"I hate goodbyes." She cast her eyes downward.

"I do too." He exhaled. "And I know that in my line of work, I've had to say quite a few of them. But Sarah, let's just not say 'good bye' this time, alright?"

She looked at him curiously. "You are just going to... leave?"

"Oh no." He shook his head quickly. "I would never do that. I just meant, let's say something else instead. Something like 'I'll see you later' or 'until next time'. Normal 'goodbyes' are just too final for my tastes."

"Does that mean you're coming back again?" She asked hopefully.

"I hope to someday. You and your family are my friends and it would be nice to see again, even if you have grandchildren by that time." He smiled. "But even if I don't ever make it back here, Sarah, you have eternity to look forward to. I will see you again."

For the third time, the young woman felt tears well up in her eyes. "That is so beautiful."

"It really is, but it is also the honest truth. There are never any real good byes." He glanced up at the quickly setting sun, then back at his friend. "It looks like I am going to have be moving on now."

She nodded and reluctantly let him help her down from the fence. They wandered back onto the middle of the road and both just looked at one another silently for a few moments. It was obvious that neither one quite knew what to do or say. There was nothing that was going to completely numb the pain of the departure.

Finally Andrew just silently opened up his arms for a hug. Seeing this, Sarah readily walked into his embrace and they stayed that way for a time. Eventually Andrew unwilling pulled back and glanced up at the sky once more.

"Is it time?" Sarah whispered.

"It's time." He confirmed just as quietly.

"I love you, Andrew." She took a deep breath and said softly. "You'll always hold a very special place in my heart. No matter how old I get and no matter how long it is until I see you again."

"I love you too, Sarah." He replied sincerely. "And God does too. Don't ever forget either of those."

"I won't." She promised hoarsely.

Andrew reached out his hand and slowly pushed a stray strand of hair out of the young woman's face. Then he leaned forward and gently kissed her atop her forehead.

"Till we meet again." He told her softly. With those words, he straightened up, gave her a smile, then turned and began walking down the road.

Sarah continued to stand there where he left her and watch his retreating back as he got further and further away. Finally she inhaled deeply and reached up and grasped the broach on her blouse.

"Till we meet again." She whispered under her breath.

And she continued to stare after him until the angel disappeared into the sunset.

**The End.**


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